stock being inconsiderable, look for an advance, so that very few parcels are now offered for sale. "The demand for Cotton, if fairly estimated, will, we believe, be found as extensive as the means of consumption should lead us to expect; but it still remains, as for some months past, without either spirit or animation. Brazil and Demerara Cottons are the only descriptions that have lately experienced any sensible decline, which seems to have been occasioned chiefly by the large quantities offered by public sale. The holders of American Cottons, however, are become less disposed to press their stocks upon the mar. ket, owing to the uncertainty in which our relations with the United States are still involved, and the prospect of a further decrease in our importations, as a necessary conse quence of the unnatural footing upon which the trade with this country now stands, Since our last Circular, the quantity of Cotton which has been sold amounts to fully 15,000-bags, being about 7:000 more than what we have received. Our stock is therefore rather diminished, but it may still be calculated at nearly 185,000 bags, which very materially exceeds what was ever held in this market at any former period. Our importations, since the commencement of this year, may be estimated at 161,000 bags, which is about 75,000 less than arrived in the first nine months of 1810; but notwithstanding this important defalcation in the supplies, our stock has received an increase of nearly 45,000 bags. This circumstance, if proofs were wanting, would clearly show to what a considerable extent the Cotton manu actures of this country have suffered, and how sensibly this branch of national prosperity have been injured by the melancholv si uat on to which the greater part of the commercial world is unfortunately reduced. The accounts from Manchester are deplorable, and will probably soon be worse. Many hundreds of manufacturers have been -uddenly thrown out of employment in the last few weeks. Pot and Pearl Ashes continue very dull, and the prices of both are again rather lower. The stock of the prime qualities is very small, but still, from the limited nature of the demand, the period of an improvement is rendered very uncertain. "For the last month, our Timber market has presented but few changes, and the sales effected have been upon a very limited scale. Pitch Pine is, however, become so exceedingly scarce, in consequence of the good qualities having been bought up for the use of the dock-yards, that a parcel of this description would probably leanze 4s. 2d. a 4s. 4d. per foot. "Recent circumstances have give rise to an opinion that some unfavourable event has occurred in Sicily, which may, in the issue, render our intercouse with that Isiaid, more precarious and uncertain. This impression has not been without its influence upon several articles of Mediterranean produce, and although a sensible advance has been thereby occasioned, yet the absence of any accurate information as to the real state of affairs, has prevented much business from being done," From another source we learn that at this period of last year, there were 118 American vessels lying in the port of Live: pool, and now only 14. At Belfast, only very few vessels have arrived with cargoes from America, Most of the vessels sailing for America from Belfast and Derry, have come round from the English ports to take out passenge ́s. This trade is overdone, and fewer now are inclined to emigrate. Owing to such an influx of persons, suddenly entering the American ports, many of the emigrants found it difficult to procure situations, and in consequence have suffered severely from want of employment in a strange land. The cotton trade in this country has lately furnished more emThe late linen market in Dublin was very ployment to the weavers, than was expected. bad. Not a buyer attended from London, or Scotland, and only a few from the Northern parts of England. It is said, that not a package was sold for foreign markets. The sales. in London are very dull. Yard-wides are out of fashion. Well bleached seven-cight wide linens, neatly put out of hand, with the fopperies of gold ornaments, ribbons, &c. are principally in demand. There is not a large quantity of linens in the hands of factors, and still less in those of the drapers and shopkeepers. Yet linens keep high in the brown-markets, notwithstanding the slack demand in London and Dublin, and the exclusion, except by stealth, from the ports of the United States. At page 322 among the decuments will be found a curious calculation of the comparative value of gold and silver with bank-paper. It demonstrates the reality of a depreciation, which some still deny. The discount on notes has been 15 to 15 per cent. but has la terly suddenly risen to 18 per cent.-Exchange on London rates about 91 per cent. NATURALISTS' REPORT. From the 20th of September to the 20th of October. COMETS, which for so many ages were supposed dread messenger's of the Almighty's wrath to sinful man, and in whose splendid train the superstitious eye beheld destruc tion to Empires and to Kings, will no longer be looked upon with horror, but hailed by those ignorant of the laws which govern our system, as a beneficent planet, and diffusing over our Northern regions a tropical warmth to ripen our fruits and grain. In last year's Report, Gardeners were warned against the approaching winter, the cold and damp of the Autumn having prevented the shoots and buds from coming to that hardness and maturity which enables them to resist the cold; and seldom has the utility of recurring to natural prognostics been proved more necessary, our tender plants having suffered more than they had done for at least twenty years before. This season the cultivator has much less to fear; the warm and dry weather of the last and present month having brought the shoots and hybernacula to that state of hardness which will enable them to resist a much greater degree of cold, than destroyed them last season. Sept. 24...Wood Lark (Alauda Arborea) singing. 27...Saw several Swallow's (Hirundo Rustica). 28...Being a fine warm day, I observed several butterflies, (Papilio Egeria, Papilio Megara, Papilio Brassica, and Papilio Phloas.) Oct. 1...No Swallows to be seen. I have never observed the Swallows disappear so totally in a few days, as they have done this season. 2...Tradescants Aster (Aster Tradescanti) flowering...The Butterflies (Papilio Œgeria and Papilio Megara) still flying about, which may be reckoned very unusual. 7...Common Larks (Alauda Arvensis), and Robins (Motacilla Rubecula) singing. 15...Found a Lizard (Lacerta vulgaris) creeping briskly about. 16...Great flowered Aster (Aster grandiflorus), and Evergreen Virgins Bower Clematis cirrhosa) flowering. ..Very wet and stormy. .Wet mornings, fine day. Very wet and stormy. ..Light rain in the morning. 16-20,...............Fine dry days. The range of the Barometer, during this period, has been very trifling, it was only once as high as 30-10, and once as low as 29-1°. The medium of all the rest of the time was about 29-5°. The range of the Thermometer has been high for the season, on the 15th of October it was as high as 62°, at 8 A.M. on the 9th it was at 60°, on the 5th and 7th, 59°, but on the 26th of Sept. it was as low as 424°. The Wind has been 15 times S.W....7 SE....6 N.E....5 Westerly, so that the prevalence has been Southerly. CELESTIAL PHENOMENA, FOR NOVEMBER, 1811. On the 1st, the Moon is perceived at her rising not to have passed the Pleiades, but in the course of the night, to be moving under them, towards Aldebaran. On the 4th, the Moon rises between the thirteenth and third of the Twins, Jupiter being above her she will soon pass the line between the planet and the latter star, and her passage under Jupiter will excite attention. On the 10th, the Moon rises in the morning under the body of the Lion, passing the ecliptic in her ascending node in the afternoon. On the 16th is new Moon at 28 minutes past four in the morning. On the 20th we perceive the Moon under the two first stars of the Goat, which she will evidently pass before her next appearance. On the 26th, the moon is on the meridian at ten minutes past 9, the three first stars of the Ram being above her, at a considerable distance, to the east of the meridian. On the 29th, the Moon is on the meridian at 52 minutes past eleven, having the third of the Bull to the west, and Aldebaran to the east of her.-The former star suffers an occultation this night, the western rim of the Moor touching it at 37 minutes past 9, the star being 10 minuses and a half south of her centre, and the star emerges at 27 minutes past 10, the star being then 12 minutes and a third south of the centre. The Moon reaches Aldebaran on the morning of the 30th, and this star suffers an occultation the western rim touches it at two minutes and a half past six, being 7 minutes and three quarters north of the Moon's centre; and the star emerges at 47 minutes and a half past 6. The Moon is at its full this morning at 9 minutes past 5, but without an eclipse. We may, in the evening, see her rise soon after Aldebaran, but at some distance from it, and perceive that she is bending her course, under the 6th of the Bull, towards the 3d of the Twins. : Mercury is a morning star, the former part of the month, being in his superior conjunction on the 18th, soon after midnight. He will be seen for the first week by many in the east, but, when he becomes an evening star, he will set too' soon after the sun to attract notice. The Moon passes him on the 15th. Venus is an evening stsr, but so near to the Sun, and in such an unfavourable situation that she will scarcely be noticed, even at the end of the month. The Moon passes her on the 16th. Mars is on the meridian at 24 minutes past five on the evening of the first, and at 6 minutes past five of the 19th. His motion is direct through twenty-two degrees, The Moon passes him on the 21st. Jupiter is on the meridian at five minutes past four, on the morning of the first; and 3 quarters past 2, on the morning of the 20th, and being in the first part of the fourth sign, his duration above our horizon is nearly the same as that of the Sun on the longest day. On the first, he rises at a quarter past 8 at night, and sooner every night than on the night before. The Moon passes him on the fourth. Saturn is on the meridian at 8 minutes past 3 of the afternoon of the first, and at 4 minutes past 2 of the 19th His duration, therefore, above the horizon, after sunset, diminishes every night. The Moon passes him on the 18th. Herschell is in conjunction with the Sun on the 12th, being an evening star to that time, and too near the Sun to be visible, but towards the end of the month he may be seen in the morning at a considerable distance from the thirteenth of the Balance, as his motion is direct through nearly two degrees. The Moon passes him on the 15th. THE COMET. For some time past, the Comet has furnished matter for conversation to the learned and the unlearned. The former have been instructed, by behelding another of the great works of creation. Although unable, from the present finite bounds of human knowledge, to ascertain the exact laws by which its course is regulated, they are thoroughly convinced by analogy, that its laws of motion are as accurately prescribed, as those of other bodies, with which we are better acquainted. The unlearned have also been amused, and although the age of credulity is in a great degree gone by, when men vainly prognosticated moral evils from celestial phenomena, and people are now ashamed to expose themselves to just ridicule by such crude conjectures, yet still we hear some gravely talk of the Comet affecting our weather. The Comet is too remote from us to be likely to have any influence on our atmosphere. It however furnishes conversation to the unthinking. Man placed on his little ant hill, is too apt to exclaim-" See all things for my use."! It partakes of a grovelling superstition to suppose that the stupendous works of creation, and the various appearances of nature are referrible to us, and our concerns. To the enlightened contemplator, the Comet affords a profitable subject for medita tion. He beholds a new body belonging, most probably, to a distant system, which his limited powers forbid him to appreciate, he sees his own insignificance, and the immensurable works of creation "He looks through Nature, up to Nature's God." It has been observed that the remarks made on the Comet afford a good criterion to measure the understanding of the observer. Jejune observations betray a vacant mind, while a just comprehension of the works of Nature indicate vigour of intellect, ERRATA-Page 244, line 14, for 5 read 15.-Page 199, 10th line from bottom, 2d col. for thus read thee-Page 211, 2d col. 19th line, for 1811 read 1700-Page 214, 1st col. 7th line from the bottom, for painted read painted. For the Belfast Monthly Magazine. SOME ACCOUNT OF THE DUBLIN WEEKLY AND DAILY SCHOOLS. THE part of Dublin in which these schools are situated, is inhabited principally by the manufacturing class of poor, who, employed during the week at their respective trades, have no opportunity of improvement, or of storing their minds with useful knowledge. In the year 1786, the Rev. Richard Powell, Curate of St. Catherine's parish, considering the lamentable situation of many children, who early apprenticed, on account of the poverty of their parents, were thus excluded from the manifold blessings of education, opened in conjunction with some other benevolent persons Sunday schools for both sexes, which were held, the male school in the Court house of the Seneschal of the Earl of Meath, in the Liberty; and the female in the Parish School-house. These schools were not limited to St. Catherine's parish, but children from all parts of the city, were admitted, by the recommendation of a subscriber. Thus constituted, they answered the benevolent designs of the founder, until his removal from Dublin; but long prior thereto, many individuals who had contemplated their happy effects on those who were the objects of their care, now supported them; some of whom devoted most of their leisure time to their interest, and by BLLFAST MAG. NO. XL. their constant inspection, contributed, no doubt, to the respectable characters of many who have, in these schools alone, received the instruction, the importance of which they now experience. Here we may take the liberty to express our sense of these institutions. When well and constantly attended to, they give (besides the instruction which they communicate, and the moral and virtuous principles which they endeavour to instil) many inducements to the poorer classes, to pursue and acquire an honest and industrious character. United to those above them in rank by the gratitude which flows from a remembrance of their kindness when young, and daily finding more the value of those lessons which they learnt at school, they well deserve the esteem and good opinion of their benefactors, and this will furnish an additional excitement to honest industry, and good character in those situations in which they may perhaps be placed by those who gave them the first rudiments of knowledge; and then, by an interchange of mutual good offices, these schools may form a cement between the higher and lower orders of society, teaching the former the true value of their rank and fortune, and making the latter reverence and love, rather than envy those whom Providence has blessed with a larger portion of this world's goods. Strongly exemplifying the truth of this theory, these schools increasту ed so in number, that it was judged expedient to endeavour to erect a school-house, and, in the otherwise unfortunate year 1798, a subscription was put forward by those interested in their advancement, which was so warmly received by the public, that on the ninth of February, 1798, a meeting was held, when the following preamb'e and resolutions were adopted, and fifteen trustees appointed. them in trust, for the purpose of permitting schools to be held therein, in which no distinction shall be made on account of religious profession, either in managers, instructors, or scholars." After the appointment of the trustees, a sufficiency of subscriptions came in to enable them to erect the building in which the schools are now held, and which is capable of accommodating from one thousand to fifteen hundred children convenient. ly. For some years after its erection, the schools were well attended to, and conducted satisfactorily, but several of the most active supporters, having, from their different circumstances in life, very much declined their superintendence, the funds became insufficient for their support, and they languished until in the beginning of the year 1808, when, by the exertions of some of their early supporters, a regular committee of twenty-one, was formed from among the subscribers, for the purpose of renovating the Sunday schools, and establishing daily schools. "The consideration of the state of the children of the poor in this city, and their much neglected situation respecting necessary instruction, having occupied the attention of a few individuals, and they having communicated their sentiments to others on this subject, they were of opinion, that if a suitably adapted house could be erected, capable of contain ing fifteen hundred children, for the purpose of holding schools therein, considerable benefit might be derived; and it being judged suitable that these ideas should be communicated to a larger number, and subscriptions solicited for the purpose intended. This has accordingly been done, and by a list now exhibited, it appears that 1029 8 3 has been sub-committee, they turned their attenscribed; and the subscribers having been individually summoned to meet, for the purpose of agreeing upon a mode of carrying the before-mention ed intention into eflect --accordingly a considerable number of the subscribers being now present at the Sick Poor Institution House, Meath street, the 9th of February, 1798, Soon after the formation of the tion to the best mode of instruction to be adopted in the proposed daily schools, and, after due deliberation, they were of opinion that the plan followed in the school established by Joseph Lancaster was the best; combining rapid improvement with economy; accordingly, a young man was got over from his school in London, who organized the daily schools, and they have since been conducted on his plan (with some small deviations) to very great advantage. At the time the daily schools were opened, it was judged adviseable to insist upon a sinalt weekly payment from the scholars in order to increase the funds, and give the children a greater interest in them; according. ly it was agreed that those who at |