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unite the Boristhenes to the Niemen, would ultimately extend the trade of the Black Sea over almost the whole of ancient Poland; and would join to the advantages of the trade of this Sea, which is already immense, that of the Baltic.

"The French besides would not have to encounter on these coasts, as upon the Baltic, any rival nation who would seek to possess themselves of all the trade; and who at present, whether owing to its capital, to the nature of its manufactures, or its policy, forms obstacles frequently difficult to overcome.

"France also by its credit, the proximity of its ports in the Mediterranean, and by its power on that sea, is of all others the nation most proper to undertake this branch of commerce."

Exclusive of these important objects, the Ukraine also possesses a production formerly held in very great estimation, I allude to the seed of the kermes, better known by the name of Polish cochineal. It is now sold only to the Turks and Armenians; who use it to dye their Morocco leather, stuffs, thread, and horsetails. The women in the Levant prepare it with wine or lemon-juice, and thus make a sort of vegetable rouge, with which they stain the nails both of their fingers and their toes.

Locusts are the only remarkable Scourge to which these provinces are exposed.

The inhabitants of the Ukraine call themselves Malo-rosses, which is, Little Russians. According to the historical system generally adopted, they are the descendants of the Russians of Kiowie, These parts, for a long time usurped by Poland, have returned to their mother country. These peasants of Little Russia, are better farmers and economists in husbandry, than those of Great Russia; they do not destroy their forests. Their houses are not entirely built of wood, but some of stones and white clay mixed. With the exception of some of the gentry, and a few of the inhabitants of the towns, they do not use the warm bath. The peasant makes use of no candles to light him; but is satisfied with tallow and oil, which he burns in small pots: or he makes torches of different plants, which give a clear light without smoke. Almost all the peasants of the Ukraine have orchards round their houses, and they plant fruittrces in their kitchen gardens. They consume a rast quantity of wood in the preparation of their brandy, parti

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cularly of the common sorts. The natives of the Ukraine have their implements of husbandry much more perfect than those of Great Russia: but what chiefly contributes to make agriculture flourish, is the great quantity of cattle; which at the same time serves to manure the land, and assists in its cultivation. The Ukrainers are more robust and less ignorant than the Lithuanians.

Polish Ukraine, in the limits which it occupied since 1686, contained no towns of any considerable note. Zytomirsz, and other places of the palatinate of Kiovie, scarcely deserve to be mentioned. In the palatinate of Bracław, besides the city of the same name, there is also Niemerow, which contains about three hundred and twenty houses, some manufactories in leather and cotton, and a tolerable trade. At Tulozin, the French have established a manufactory of fire-arms, of which they make a considerable exportation by Cherson. Tar govica is known by its confederation; and at Human the fine forests of oak cease, and the extensive plains without trees commence. The palatinate of Podolia contains the town of Kaminiec, situated on a small river which runs into the Niester, and is about three leagues from the Turkish city of Choczym in Moldavia. Its castle, built upon a rock, and fortified more by nature than by art, was formerly considered as a place of great strength; though now very ruinous it was always the best fortress of Poland. The city at present contains about five thousand six hundred and sixty inhabitants. Szarygrod is more populous, having near seven thousand inhabitants. Barr is only remarkable for having been the seat of a famous confederation.-Such are the towns of one of the most fertile countries in the world. The Tartars, the Russians, and the confederate Poles, by turns, have banished from this country, along with peace, industry and civilization.

One cannot describe the Ukraine without naming Kiow, that famous capital of Southern Russia, reduced it is true to a population of only twentytwo thousand souls, but still in a flourishing state for a city of this country; possessing an university of great an tiquity, restored and endowed by Catharine II. aud Alexander I., and now serving as a depot for the merchan dise which passes up and down the great river Borysthenes, that washas its walls. Kiow was founded in 430,

according

according to the Polish historians. In 880, this city became the place of residence of a prince of the race of Rurick; in 1037 it was declared the capital of all Russia, and the grand-dukes continued to reside there till 1157. In 1240, it passed under the dominion of the Tartars; then under that of the Poles and Lithuanians. In 1686 it returned de finitively under the Russian sceptre. The loss of this place, which as it were commands the navigation of the Borysthenes, was one of those remote causes which prepared and accelerated the subjection of Poland.

To the north-west of the Ukraine extends Wolbynia, a province no less fertile. Its chalky soil produces in great abundance millet, barley, and the heaviest and most farinaceous wheat of all Poland. Some mines of iron are found here; and near Dubno is found yellow amber. A great part of this province is covered with immense forests. In the woods are found, in a wild state, rosemary, asparagus, and various other plants, which, though growing without cultivation, are with difficulty to be distinguished from those which are reared in our gardens with the greatest care and attention. The rivers and lakes abound with fish. But even this delight ful country has, at different times, experienced great devastation; particularly in 1618, when the Tartars carried off no less than thirty thousand prisoners, and an immense quantity of plunder. The inhabitants are Russians, as their language, their religion, and their customs, prove. They are a very warlike race of people, and make excellent soldiers.

of the province tle their affairs. Turks, Arme

We shall now enumerate the principal towns of Wolbyn. Since 1774, Dubno has become the seat of a kind of fair, at which all the no assemble, in order . We also meet the nians, Germans, short, sometimes there is a conti... not less than thirty thousand souls: the ordinary population is estimated at six thousand. Luck is the ancient capital, and Novogrod-Wolynski that of the present day. Isaslaw, with five thousand and sixty inhabitants, and Ostrog, with four thousand six hundred, are the two most industrious places; the latter is the chief town of a very ancient duchy, now transformed into a majorat, which, after having, for its sovereigns, dukes of the MONTHLY MAG. No, 198,

house of Ostrogski, passed to the house of Lubomirski, and afterward to that of Sangusko: it yields an immense revenue. Olyka, another duchy, belongs to the Radzivills. The small village of Czartoriski is reported to be the origin of the The illustrious family of that nanie. Lubomirski, who are still more rich and powerful, are also originally of Wol hynia, or at least its vicinity.

The country of Chelm has a sandy chalky soil. The wheat is of a most excellent quality: large quantities of yellow amber are also found here.

(To be continued.)

QUERIES.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

I

SIR,

SHALL be obliged if some one of your nu

merous chemical readers will inform me, through the medium of your valuable miscellany, of the best method of discovering whether there be vitriolic acid in what you generally purchase for vinegar. There is lit tle doubt, from the different taste vinegar now has, from what it used to have, that it is made from a different material; and from the very increased consumption of vitriol, there is some reason to think it is manufactured from that mineral acid. The publicity of an others, as well as to answer to this may be serviceable to many

A CONSTANT READER.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

THE late celebrated Dr. Priestley, many

years ago, wrote and published a small tract, entitled "Considerations for Young Men, and the Parents of Young Men;" which has long been out of print: and it is a pity that it should be, since a wide circulation of it might be productive of good. A friend of mine wishes to reprint it, but cannot procure a copy; and I believe it is to be met with only in private hands. Perhaps it is in the possession of some one of the numerous readers of your valuable miscellany who may see this (if you will kindly give it a corner there), and will probably favour me with the pamphlet; either to take a copy from, as it is but a very short one, or to forward to my friend for the purpose of its being reprinted.

CHRISTOPHER EARNSHAW, 43, Chancery Lane.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

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the shining quality which so much destroys the effect of drawings in Indian ink, the information would greatly oblige A CONSTANT READER.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

A PUNCTUAL peruser of your widely circulated miscellany, earnestly solicits of the correspondents who combine to fill its interesting pages, a satisfactory communication on the subject of encased phosphorus, prepated for instant use in procuring flame as a substitute for the common tinder-box. I had

purchased one of the usual make, the light from which was to be obtained by suddenly im merging a common match; but upon the first trial, though done with care, the phosphorus became instantaneously ignited, and the operator was severely scalded.

He shall be obliged to any philosophical gentleman who will not contemptuously smile at his query, but briefly inform him of the most portable and prudent construction of these light-procurers, and the best method of extinguishing the flame, and healing the burn, of phosphorus.

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HAVING been lately engaged in trans

lating a French work, wherein the term Canards tigrès is mentioned, and not knowing to what species of the duck the word tigres refers, I shall feel obliged if some one of your correspondents, conversant in natural history and French literature, will infornime, through the medium of your magazine..

The letter of your correspondent from Bristol, signed E. T. I. of last month, page 134, refers, I presume, to a letter of mine in your Magazine for December last, page 461, concerning the acetic acid. Now, sir, I by no means desire to make your valuable magazine a vehicle for controversy; what I have there stated, is in the power of any of your readers to prove, without having recourse to any theory whatever. I must however take the liberty to remark, that the acetic acid is, in many respects, more agreeable, not to say

more efficacious, for the purposes mentioned in my letter, than the process which he recommends.

Simplicity in undertakings upon a large scale is, at all times, most desirable; and in those for the purposes of general health, is most peculiarly so. It would have been as well if your correspondent had affixed his real Fame to his letter; we should then have had an opportunity of judging how far he was influenced in his remarks, by a soreness of feeling on some other subjects to which I have occasionally adverted.

Anonymous remarks are hardly fair upon those who fearlessly avow their sentiments and their names.

Unawed by the letter of E. T. I., I take the liberty of communicating another fact, not indeed of as much consequence as acetic acid may be: but it is, at any rate, singular and such as perhaps few of your chemical readers have had an opportunity of witnessing. It is, that having occasion to try some experiments upon blood, in order to the making of Prussian blue, seventeen years ago, I put by about four ounces of dried ox blood in a dry place, not having immediate occasion for it; and this same blood I now have completely dry and unaltered.

JAMES JENNING.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

ABOUT twenty years ago I subscribed for

a print to be engraved after the picture of the Siege and Relief of Gibraltar.' 'Two guineas were paid to Copley the painter, and two more were to be paid on delivery.

The print has never appeared; nor has an apology been given, that I ever heard of.

Before I make any remarks on this dis

graceful transaction, permit me, sir, through the medium of your valuable publication, to request any information on the subject, which you, or any of your very numerous friends, can give me particularly whether any explanation, or apology, has been pub licly given; or whether the subscribers have still grounds on which to found their expectations of the print being delivered, or

not.

ALPHA.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

SHOULD be glad to be informed by some

of your legal readers, whether the clause in what is called the new police act, authorising the apprehension of reputed thiever, can be enforced by the city magistrates. The very serious depredations that have recently been committed in the city by pickpockets, render every precaution absolutely necessary. A CONSTANT READER.

To

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

IN reply to a query in the magazine for Sep

remains to be solved by a more learned person than myself. An insertion of the above in the Monthly Magazine, will oblige a conJ. S.

stant reader.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

ON reading a paper in your number for May, 1808, on the state of the silk manufacture in this kingdom, I could not but

tember, whether the sun-flower" follows the course of the sun in the day, and in the night-time, (the stalk untwisting) returns to the east to face the sun next morning," I beg leave to observe that I believe it to be groundless; having a number of very fine flowers growing in an open garden, not in the least influenced by any surrounding walls or build-feel a regret that an object promising such ing. They have the finest possible heads of numerous flowers, growing to face all quarters; but my principal attention has been paid to the main flower, and I find it always retains, in the situation it first blows in, either north, east, south, or west. Some of the stalks appear twisted, which I consider to arise from the great weight of the head when in full seed; though, while making these remarks, a friend of mine asserted, he had observed the flower changed its position; but he is the only person I ever heard to believe it, whilst I have many observers with myself to the contrary.

national utility, should be so much neglected by us. And it appears deserving of particular attention at this time, when some of our principal manufactures are on the decline, and numerous hands out of employment; and when our supply from the continent is uncertain, and the article increasing in demand. I cannot but think that were premiums offered, and due encouragement given to the growth of the mulberry, and the culture of the worm, it would produce a spirit of exertion, which can alone ensure, and which seldom fails of ensuring, success.

That no local impediment arises, is evident, from the success which has attended past exertions, when aided by a spirited government, and that still attends the experiments of individuals on a smaller scale.

Also in observation on chalk becoming flint, by a natural process. Whilst in Bedfordshire, this was the subject of conversation; and it was asserted to me as a fact, that on the chalky hills in the neighbourhood of Dunstable, chalk actually became flint, though to the observers by an unknown process; and that after removing these flints, yet the fresh chalk replaced the usual quantity of flints, and that this would be the case ad irfinitum; by what inherent chemical pro- favour, by an obliged enquirer. perty in the chalk, aided by the atmosphere,

Could any of your correspondents communicate information on the most successful method of rearing the worm, winding the sink, &c. with the profit attached to it, and recommendations on the subject either to persons or books, it would be esteemed a

S.

MEMOIRS AND REMAINS OF EMINENT PERSONS.

MEMOIRS of the LIFE and WRITINGS of the first establishment of that academy;
M. BROUSSONNET.
ETER Marie Augustus Brousson

and he was elected a member of the Institute in his absence; and was continued

Pnet, professor of botany at the in that character though the duties of his

Medical School of Montpellier, member of the French Institute, Fellow of the Royal Society of London, and formerly associate-anatomist of the Academy of Sciences, was born on the 28th of February 1761, at Montpellier, where his father, Francis Broussonnet, was professor of medicine. The life of BrousConnet displays a striking series of proofs of the high opinion with which he had inspired the different societies to which he belonged: for at the age of eighteen he was selected by the university of Montpellier as one of its professors; at twentyfour he was unanimously chosen a member of the Academy of Sciences, a circumstance unprecedented in the whole period (120 years) that had elapsed since

post at Montpellier rendered this absence perpetual. From these considerations it is evident that he must have possessed two classes of qualities which are not always united; those calculated to command respect, and to attract esteem.

Being born in the bosom of a celebrated school, and the son of a man who discharged with honour the duties of instruction, it may be said that the Sciences surrounded his cradle, and theirs was the language of his lispings. From his tenderest years he was animated by an insatiable curiosity after the productions of nature, in which the fine climate of his nativity is so rich; and his father, fearing that such a variety of attractive objects wight divert him from those long prelimi

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nary studies without which there is no true science, thought it necessary to have him removed from home, and according ly placed him in succession at different colleges appropriated to the belles lettres. But young Broussonnet, at the same time that he distinguished himself among his companions in the common objects of their studies, found opportunities also for pursuing his own particular inclination. He was able to indulge himself much more in this respect, on his return to Montpellier for the purpose of studying medicine; where, by gathering herbs in the day-time, and dissecting in the night, he crowded the apartments of his father with his botanical collections and his anatomical preparations. Yet notwithstanding these accessory labours, he made such a rapid progress in the regular course of medical study, that at the age of eighteen he received the degree of doctor, and the university of Montpellier solicit ed the chancellor of France for his succession to the professorial chair of his father on its future vacancy.

*

His Thesis on Respiration, which he had maintained some months before, in reality justified this proceeding, which otherwise bore the appearance of being premature. It is an excellent piece of comparative anatomy and physiology, exhibiting such facts as were then known with equal genius and learning, and anticipating the rudiments of several of the discoveries which have been recently made on this important subject.

He visited Paris for the first time, for the purpose of procuring the confirmation of his appointment as eventual successor to his father's chair: but the minister, perhaps forming an opinion of him from his youth, or influenced by some irrelevant suggestions, was not forward in dispatching this business; and Broussonnet, conceiving new ideas in the metropolis, and feeling that he could there open for himself a different prospect from that which he had contemplated at Montpellier, desired his father not to urge it.

His characteristic sagacity enabled him at once to perceive, from the manner in which natural history was then studied at Paris, that he might easily and quickly attract notice by the new and brilliant turn which it was in his power to give to that science. Indeed, though the eloquence of Buffon had inspired a general taste for the study of nature, it

* Printed at Montpellier in 1778, under the title: Varia Positiones circa Respirationem,

had at the same time directed most of those who engaged in that pursuit into a wrong path; and the zoologists and mineralogists were not yet familiar with the commodious nomenclature and the rigor ous synonymy of Linneus. It appeared as if that great man had written only for botanists; and as these had all become his disciples, they seemed to form a sepa rate class, whose example had yet but little influence on the investigators of the other two branches of natural history. Broussonnet had himself imbibed the Linnean doctrine in all its purity; and he now resolved to establish it in France, and to attach his reputation to the success of this undertaking.

As it is in the distinction of the species that the advantage of Linneus's method is particularly conspicuous, and the cabinets of Paris did not then present a sufficient number of new ones to serve as materials for labours of any importance, he determined to visit the most valuable of the foreign collections: and he directed his first steps to England; as its universal commerce, its immense colonial pos sessions, its extensive maritime expedi tions, and the taste which many of its most eminent personages entertained for natural history, had rendered that country the richest emporium of the productions of the two worlds. The house of sir Joseph Banks was at that time a resort of the most illustrious characters of Europe, and an open school for such young persons as were incited to emulation by these distinguished examples. According to his usual practice, he made M. Broussonnet undergo a sort of novi-. ciate for a year; and when he felt assured that his visitor was worthy of his esteem, he bestowed it on him unreservedly, and continued to give him proofs of it through out the rest of his life.

Under the roof of sir Joseph Banks, Broussonnet began his labours on the subject of Fishes; and the presents which he received from that generous friend of the sciences, consisting of a multitude of objects collected by sir Joseph in captain' Cook's first voyage, would have supplied the materials of continuing those labours, if it had not been for the different events which prevented the author from the further prosecution of his design. The first Part of this work was published at London in 1782, under the title of "Ichthyologia Decas I:" it contains the Latin descriptions, in the Linnean style, and perhaps with too much minuteness of detail, of ten rare fishes (of which number half

were

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