網頁圖片
PDF
ePub 版

638

"Prynted in the yeare of our Lord MDXXXV. and crybe it to thyne owne ignorance, not to the Scripture;

fynished the fourth day of October.

This Bible was Miles Coverdale's version, which was dedicated to Henry VIII, and allowed by royal authority. Coverdale mentions that the king gave this translation to some of the bishops for their perusal, who alleged that there were faults therein, but admitted that no heresies were maintained: "If there be no heresies," said the king, let it go abroad among the people."

It is not generally known, perhaps, that there is a copy of Miles Coverdale's Bible in the British Museum. It is a small folio, printed in the black letter. Each book is divided into chapters, but there is no subdivision into verses. After the books of the Old and New Testaments, those of the Apocrypha are inserted with this introduction: "The bokes and treatises which amonge the fathers of olde are not retened to be of like authoritie with other bokes of the Byble, nether are they fonde in the canon of the Hebrew."

The volume contains many curious engravings. The frontispiece is very elaborate. The upper part represents Adam and Eve after eating the forbidden fruit: opposite this, Christ is treading on the serpent's head. Under this, is Mount Sinai, with Moses receiving the two tables of the law, surrounded with flames, among which are several trumpets.

Opposite this, Christ is commissioning the apostles to preach the gospel, each one of whom is walking away with an immense key on his shoulder. Lower again is the high priest reading the book of the law; and opposite is Peter preaching on the day of Pentecost. At the bottom is exhibited the king, surrounded by his prelates and nobles, to the former of whom his majesty is presenting the sacred volume. This no doubt was intended as a compliment to Henry VIII. to whom the translation is dedicated. These vignettes are comprised in a kind of frame-work upon the margin, the title appearing in the

centre.

66

thinke ye thou understondest it not, or it is happlye over shall greately helpe ye to understond Scripture, if thou sene of ye interpreters, or wrong prynted. Agayne: it mark not onely what is spoken or wrytten, but of whom, and unto whom, with what wordes, at what time, where, to what intent, with what circumstance, consyderynge what goeth before, and what followeth after." The following was a prophecy :—“God shall not only send it that beganne it afore, but shall also move the hertes of thee in a better shappe by the mynistracyon of other them which as yet med led not withal to take it in hande, and to bestowe the gifte of their understandynge thereon."

system of security against fraud in the sale of silk, by PROOF OF FRENCH SILK.-The French have adopted a submitting it to examination and experiment in an establishment called the condition. Silk exposed to a humid atmosphere, and yet more to wet, will imbibe a consideraceptible change in external appearance. This establishble quantity of humidity without undergoing any perment, of which there is one at Lyons and another at St. Etienne, receives about three-fourths of the whole consumption of silk. It is submitted during twenty-four hours to a temperature of from 18 to 20 degrees of Reaumur (72 to 77 of Fahrenheit), and if the diminished high temperature is continued during another twenty-four weight be from 2 to 3 per cent., the application of the hours. On a certificate granted by the condition as to its true weight, the invoice is made out. The means of correctly ascertaining the real humidity of silk are now the subject of investigation at Lyons, and it is believed that the purity of the material will, ere long, be as accurately tested as is that of metals by an assay. The quality of silk is estimated by deniers, which represent the weight of 400 ells wound off on a cylinder; the number, of course, increases with the fineness. The Alais silk is sometimes reeled off from three to four cocoons, and seven to eight cocoons, which will give eighteen to weighs only from eight to ten deniers; sometimes from twenty deniers. Of French organzines, the quality varies principally from twenty to thirty-six deniers, and of French trams from twenty-six to sixty deniers.-Dr. Bowring's Report.

There is a "prologe to the Christen reader," in which Coverdale confesses his "insufficiency to perform ye office of translatoure," but he was impelled to put the Bible into English, having "consydered how great pytie it was that we shulde want it so longe;" and he says, It greved me yt other nacyons shulde be more plenteously provyded for with ye Scripture in theyre mother addressed by Mr. John Galt to the editor of the Greenock SUBSTITUTE FOR STEAM.-The following plan has been tongue than we. Therefore he thought it his dewtye to Advertiser :-Take a cylinder and subjoin to the bottom do his best, and that with a good will." In many parts of it, in communication, a pipe; fill the pipe and the it is of course inferior to the subsequent translations; cylinder with water; in the cylinder place a piston as in but the fact that it was "faithfully and truly translated that of the steam engine, and then with a Bramah's out of the Douche and Latin into Englishe," coupled press, and a simple obvious contrivance which the with the condition of our language at that day, render process will suggest, force the water up the pipe, the it a work worthy of all admiration. Some passages have pressure of which will raise the piston. This is the demore simplicity and clearness than even in the transla-monstration of the first motion. tion in common use. For instance, "Oh that my wordes piston is raised, open a cock to discharge the water, and Second. When the were written; oh that they were put in a boke: wolde the piston will descend. This is the demonstration of God they were graven wt an yron pene in leade or in the second motion, and is as complete as the motion of stone." Job, 19. Again:-"But sure we are that all the piston in the cylinder of the steam engine, and a thinges serve for the best unto them that love God." power is attained as effectual as steam, without risk of Rom. 8. Other passages display at once the antiquity explosion, without the cost of fuel, capable of being apand the change of meaning which terms have under-plied to any purpose in which steam is used, and to an gone in the course of three hundred years; as in the immeasurable extent. same chapter of Romans, "They that are fleshly are fleshly indeed; but they that are goostly are goostly minded." And in Psalm 91:-" So yt thou shalt not nede to be afrayed for any bugges by night, nor for the arowe that flyeth by daye." The term "bugges" was used in Coverdale's time to signify any thing dangerous or terrific, and not that domestic annoyance, which was not then known in London, the cimex lectularius.

In his "prologe," the author gives this advice to his readers" I exhorte the yf thou finde ought therein yt thou understandest not, or that appeareth to be repugnant, give no temerarious or hastye iudgment thereof; but as

may, in some cases, be useful, and this may be done by The preservation of the water a simple contrivance, viz: by making the cock discharge into a conductor, by which the water may be conveyed back at every stroke of the piston into the pipe, at the end of which the Bramah's press acts.

the Durham glass works, has published a plate of a steam IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STEAM-ENGINE.-Mr. Price, of for upwards of seven years, without accident. The fol safety-valve and chest, which has been in constant use lowing is a brief description of his apparatus, which, if we mistake not, we had the pleasure of noticing when it was first used: Instead of the common valve, there is

placed on the top of the steam-chest a cup, with an aperture for the steam to escape. In this cup a loose brass ball (weighted to the pressure the boiler can bear) is placed. When the steam rises above that pressure, the ball also rises, and allows the steam to escape through the waste. There is an elbow pipe connected with the steam chest below the ball-seat, which also enters the waste pipe. In this is a handled valve, by which the engineer can blow off his steain, or regulate it. Let it be perfectly understood the ball cannot be weighed by the engineer so soon as the steam rises above the safety. pressure, it escapes, and when sufficiently blown off, the

ball returns to its seat.

COAL MINES IN FRANCE.-According to accounts in the French journals, there are coal mines in 32, out of the 86 departments of France, but hitherto the principal produce has been obtained from the departments of the Loire, the Nord, the Saône and Loire, and Aveyron. These departments furnish about four-fifths of the whole production of the kingdom. In the second rank are the departments of the Gard, the Calvados, the Haute Saône, the Haute Loire, the Bas Rhin, the Tarn, and the Loire Inférieure. In these departments the number of mines is 209, of which 140 were worked in 1833, and 69 were not worked. The quantity of coal which the mines produced in 1833, was 15,741,430 metrical quintals, (a quintal is 100 pounds French,) of the value of 15,009,741 francs on the spot. The mines employ 14,125 workmen, and 190 steam engines, which are equal to the force of 4195 horses. In 1789, the produce of the mines was 2,800,000 metrical quintals. In 1812, it had increased to 6,683,000. It has been calculated, that the consump. tion of coal in France is ten times less than that of England. In 1833, 699,524,710 kilogrammes [a kilogramme is 2 pounds French,] of foreign coal were imported into France, the value of which was 10,492,871 francs, and the Customs' duty 2,389,501 francs.

THE SUBMARINE VESSEL.--The experiment with this machine took place at St. Ouen, as proposed. The vessel was repeatedly sunk to the depth of ten or twelve feet, and reappeared on the surface at different points. M. Godde de Liancourt got into it, and remained there a quarter of an hour. He stated that he did not experience the least inconvenience, or any difficulty of respiration, during his voyage under water. An official report upon the subject is about to be submitted to the French Go

vernment.

TO DESTROY CATERPILLARS IN TURNIP-FIELDS.-A novel method has been successfully practi ed by some of the Cornish farmers. After strewing corn all over their fields they have turned in barn door fowls, chickens, and ducks, which have nearly cleared the turnips of the noxious insects.

ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY.-At a meeting of this society for scientific business, held on Tuesday evening, Thomas Bell, Esq. F. R. S. in the chair, a marmazet was present. ed from Mr. Moore, from Rio Janeiro, the first that has ever been seen alive in this country. This, the most diminutive species of the monkey tribe, is about the size of a small rat, and even when full grown can be put into a half-pint tumbler. The greatest singularity is its large bushy tail, in which it completely envelopes itself when it retires to repose, to screen itself from the cold. The countenance of this species is that of an old man; and the one presented to the Zoological society is said to bear an exact resemblance to that of a celebrated French diplomatist.

AUDUBON--Audubon, the ornithologist, intends to return to this country in the spring. He writes from Edinburgh, under date of September 21st: "To guard against accidents to myself in my future travels, I shall also prepare the matter for this volume, so that in case of death, my sons and my wife will be enabled to finish the publication."

ICHTHYOLOGY.-It is with pleasure we announce the publication of the tenth volume of the great work on fishes, begun by the illustrious Cuvier, conjointly with his pupil, M. Valenciennes, and now continued by that professor. The delay occasioned in the appearance of this volume, has arisen from a difficulty in making arrangements with the publisher, after the death of Baron Cuvier. M. Valenciennes has even made a partial sacrifice of his interests, in order to facilitate the publication. BYRON. A charming engraving, by Ryall, from Holmes's miniature of Lord Byron, has just been published. It is just the sort of resemblance we want, adding the ideal of the poet to the likeness of the man. It gives what he was in his best days, when the thick hair clustered over the pale and beautiful brow, and he looked as picturesque as the most ardent of his admirers could have desired. It was his favourite picture, not only, we believe, from that touch of personal vanity which he had, as well as every one else, but because it recalled his youth. What hopes, what illusions, what memories must have been connected with it! Truly does the old Arabian proverb say, "The remembrance of youth is a sigh."

M. JACQUEMONT'S NEW WORK.-The French Minister for Public Instruction has presented the Asiatic Society, and the East India Company, with the late M. Victor Jacquemont's posthumous work, as a public acknowledg ment of the services each body rendered to this traveller. M. Guizot has also presented a copy to Lord William Bentinck, to Sir Alexander Johnstone, and to General Allard, commander of the army of the king of Lahore. M. DE CANDOLLE.-The celebrated botanist, M. de Candolle, according to report, has resigned his place of professor at Geneva, in order to consecrate his whole time to the laborious work which he has undertaken, on the subject of the science to which he has devoted himself.

CHOLERA. A fear of the ravages of the cholera appears to pervade all parts of Italy. Fugitives, many of them English, already crowd the countries on the Rhine and Maine. The most prompt and energetic measures have been devised to check the progress of the frightful malady.

UNITED STATES.-Various disturbances of an alarming nature have broken out in the United States. In Baltimore, the populace, excited by the failure of the National Bank, [!!!!] and thinking that the directors ought to

[ocr errors]

re-fund," proceeded to the most violent outrages upon their houses and property. The damage is estimated at upwards of $100,000. In Washington, much disorder has prevailed, occasioned by the agitation there of slave emancipation. Something like harmony has, by the last accounts, been restored in both districts.-Court Journal.

THEATRICAL CHIT-CHAT.-His majesty has given fifty guineas towards the repairs of the Shakspeare monument at Stratford-upon-Avon.

Mr. C. Kemble is performing some of his favourite characters at Tonbridge Wells.

Charles Kean's benefit at the Brighton theatre, on Monday evening, was a benefit in the true sense of the word-the house was crowded in every part. John Reeve is playing at Brighton for a night or two previous to his departure for Amèrica.

Mr. Pocock, the dramatist, died suddenly a week or two since, at his house in Berkshire.

As an instance of the profitable character of the new dramatic bill to dramatic authors, it may be mentioned that Mr. Jerrold has received, from various managers, about fifty pounds, since January last, for the performance of Black-eyed Susan alone.

Miss Clifford, a young lady of great promise, daughter of Mrs. Clifford of the Haymarket theatre, is engaged by Mathews for the Adelphi. Our old favourite, Wilkinson, is also engaged, and Mr. Webster from the Hay. market theatre.

site engravings, all by the first artists, and all from original paintings. It will thus present the combined attractions of poetry, painting, and engraving, whilst affording specimens of every variety of excellence in these several departments. The work is intended for publication on the 1st of November.

Miss Landon's new poem, "The Vow of the Peacock," will be published on the 5th instant, with a portrait of the talented authoress, the first that has appeared, beautifully engraved by Mr. Finden.

NEGRO CONSTANCY.-Miss Tully relates a melancholy | poet. The volume will contain fifty-three of these exquitale of the attempt at parting a very lovely female slave from her betrothed husband, who had loved her so dearly, that, after a vain attempt to rescue or purchase her from her ravishers, he bad actually sold his little flock and cabin, and willingly offered himself to partake her slavery. His offer had been accepted; they had made the voyage -it was from the Guinea coast-in the same ship; but on arriving at Tripoli, he was informed that her beauty rendered it inexpedient to keep her as a common slave, that she should therefrom be sent to Constantinople, to become the property of some rich Turk, but that he must stay behind, and remain in his present servitude. The faithful pair preferred death to separation; all means of destruction were removed out of their reach, but they voluntarily abstained from food, and refused all sustenance; so that the merchant, not to lose all his property, was actually obliged to consent to their union.-P. B. Lord's Algiers and Barbary.

THE DESTROYING ANGEL-“The Destroying Angel" is another of Martin's magnincent conceptions. Full of power and of passion, it casts its shadow upon us. Martin is, especially, the poet of dreams; he belongs to their wild and gigantic world; he brings back the past, the past of a thousand years; such as we fancy it, with vast palaces a marble world, whose architecture, the first science in the world, was in the strength of its youth. No man ever made its greatness so palpable before. The lightning flung from the hand of the destroying angel casts a lurid light on the buildings, while the darkness of the water below is a thing we might almost touch. This engraving has a peculiar interest as the production of the artist's son. It does him great credit: a little more soft. ness in the lines would have been an improvement; but he enters into the spirit of the whole-he feels its poetry. LIFE OF JOHNSON.-This, the eighth volume, concludes "Boswell's Life of Johnson." We come to the end with regret, like parting from an old friend. True that there are the eight volumes ready to be read and re-read, as they certainly will be; yet we should be glad to have more of them. It is one of the most delightful works that have appeared for a long time. The present volume contains a very characteristic portrait of Boswell, and an external view of Johnson's house.

MILTON'S WORKS.-The illustrations to the fifth volume of this elegant edition of Milton are exquisite. L'Allegro is absolutely bounding from the page, and the rising of the water nymphs is a very vision of fairy-land; while Ludlow Castle, with the light streaming through the old windows, is a worthy back ground. It unites both the fancies and the romance of England's age of chivalry. Cows.-Cows are very fond of dandelion, and are kept in health by frequent shampooning; rats will go any where where the oil of rhodium is dropped; rooks leave trees the moment they are marked for felling; and a dog that has never been in London before, will find his way to his master's residence in any part of the metropolis, in three hours, after having been thrown into the Thames from the centre of any one of the bridges.-John Bull.

A drum-major of the Russian Guards is, it seems, an object of much attention at Kalisch, on account of his extraordinary stature. When standing, his head is said to be on a level with another man's on horseback. He is accompanied by his wife, who is less than the ordinary female size.

Literary Entelligence.

WORKS IN PROGRESS.

A novelty in embellished works is about to appear, entitled "The Book of Gems," to consist of specimens of the poets from Chaucer to Prior, each poet illustrated by engravings from the works of the most distinguished painters, and each accompanied by a biography of the

Mr. Grattan, who has so long been silent in that de partment of literature in which he has been so successful as one of the most popular novelists, has it seems at length resumed his pen, and committed to the press a new historical novel, of the time of Elizabeth. The scene is laid, we understand, in Germany, and the principal characters are, a celebrated archbishop of Cologne, a no less celebrated beauty of that period, and a Duchess of Saxe Cobourg, of the Princess Victoria's family.

Mr. James, author of " The Gipsey," has nearly ready a work descriptive of the educational institutions of Germany, the details of which were obtained by much personal application and inspection, during the recent resi dence of the distinguished author on the continent.

The translation of Schlegel's valuable lectures, "On the Philosophy of History," by James Burton Robert. son, Esq., with a life of the author, is now completed, and will be published in a few days.

Mr. Chorley's new series of Tales, on which he has been for some time past engaged, will appear early in the present month.

Miss Stickney's interesting new work, "The Poetry of Life," will be ready for publication in the ensuing week.

Dr. Hogg's "Visit to Alexandria, Damascus and Jerusalem," comprising the valuable results of his researches and observations, is now ready, embellished with picturesque View of Balbec and Damascus.

The concluding volume of Mr. Grimshawe's beautiful edition of Cowper is now ready; the embellishments are, a sea view of "Mundsley," in Norfolk, a watering-place, visited by Cowper during his illness, and "Weston Hall,” the seat of Sir John Throgmorton, and the scene of many of his happy hours, while residing in that neighbourhood. This beautiful edition, now completed, will doubtless be in great demand, as the first and only complete_edition of this admirable poet's "Life, Letters, and Poems," extant.

In the press, and shortly will be published, an inte. resting little work, entitled, "What is Phrenology? its Evidence and Principles familiarly Considered, by the Author of Five Minutes' Advice on the Teeth.'"

"The Child's Own History of France, embellished with portraits of the kings from Pharamond to the present time, by W. Law Gane," will be ready about the middle of next month.

The Student's Manual, designed to aid in forming and strengthening the intellectual and moral character and habits of the student. By the Rev. John Todd.

Schleirmacher's Introduction to the Dialogues of Plato, translated from the German. By Wm. Dobson, M.A. Cambridge.

A History of British Quadrupeds. By Thomas Bell, Esq., lecturer on comparative anatomy at Guy's Hospital:

A new annual, called Baxter's Agricultural and Horticultural Annual, for 1836, with the valuable discoveries and improvements in farming, gardening, and rural economy during the past year.

The Christian Keepsake and Missionary Annual. Edited by the Rev. W. Ellis.

Fisher's Drawing-Room Scrap Book for 1836: with poetical illustrations by L. E. L.

night they are occupied in feeding them, and whatever | posed the eel made its lodgement there when it was their own wants may be, they are neglected till those of younger and of course smaller. It was necessary to their young are satisfied. A hen eats but little during the period of incubation, and nothing during the last two days she is occupied in hatching her brood. When, however, she quits her nest with it, her first care is for her chickens, and hungry as she must be, she eats nothing until they have been fed. Magpies, the most vigilant of birds for their own safety at other times, are extremely bold when their young are to be fed, or when their safety is endangered. It is a common practice among game-keepers, when they want to destroy the old birds, to take the young out of a nest, and make them squeak. The parents, on hearing the well known cry of distress, hasten to the rescue of their young, and are then shot. This is the case with jays and other birds of prey, who thus frequently fall the victims of their parental affection. In the case of birds, also, this affection is in most cases partaken of by both parents. In that of mainmalia it is generally confined to the female, who, besides the care of nourishing her offspring, has, in some instances, to protect them from the ferocity of the male.

"I think I have mentioned enough to show how strongly the love of their offspring is implanted in animals. It is not confined, however, to their young alone, for I see more and more reason every day to admire the delightful manner in which many animals show their love and affection for each other, as well as for their young. I have seen a sheep which was brought up by hand, and which had only a solitary horse to bestow its affections upon, quietly grazing near its early friend, forsaking those of its own species. I likewise remember a cat and a dog which were great friends. If the dog was made to howl, the cat immediately flew to his rescue, and showed much anger. Pigs evince much sympathy for one of their own species when in distress."—pp. 64-66. The habits of fish are necessarily much less known than those of other animals, though every year is adding to our stock of knowledge in this branch of natural history. We were not aware of eels coming to grass to feed at night upon worms and snails, as stated by our author, although we have understood that they sometimes migrate across dry land, in search of better ponds than what a dry summer may have left them. We have witnessed also, on more occasions than one, what the author seems not to have seen; that is, eels in the middle of winter dug out of a sandy bottomed ditch, more than a foot below the surface, and in nearly a torpid state. On one occasion when there were about a dozen of them thus disturbed, their residence was some hundred yards from the stream from which they must have wandered. The sanding of eels during the cold months is quite a common phrase in the north. With respect to eels and other species of fish, the following account is interesting.

"That cels hybernate during the cold months there can, I think, be little doubt, few or none being caught at that time. I have endeavoured also, but without success, to procure eels in the winter, from those places in the river Thames where I have every reason to believe they go to spawn. I read an account, which if correct, would serve to prove what I have now stated. A boy at Arthurstown, in the county of Wexford, on the river at Waterford, perceived something of a very unusual ap. pearance floundering upon the sand at low water. Upon a nearer approach he found it to be a quart bottle, which showed many symptoms of animation. He scized it and brought it in. It was found to contain an eel so much thicker than the neck of the bottle, that it must be sup

break the bottle for the purpose of liberating the fish. If this account is true, it goes to prove in a curious way, as far as one instance can do so, the propensity which eels have to hybernate during the cold months. It also seems to prove that they do this in the tide-way if they can, and that they neither feed nor deposit their spawn till the season of hybernation is over. It is indeed a general opinion amongst old fishermen that eels cannot bear cold. Leeches on the contrary can bear almost the extremes of cold as well as heat. I have known them frozen in a bottle of water, and appear vigorous after the water was thawed. An English officer, who accompanied the French expedition to Algiers, assured me that several of the mules bled to death in consequence of having swallowed leeches in the water they drank, and which fastened on their intestines. The waters in the neighbourhood of that place were so very full of them, that the French soldiers were obliged either to filter it through their handkerchiefs, or to dig holes in the sand by the sides of the streams.

"I have frequently observed a chub, in the fountain of the gardens of Hampton Court Palace, roll itself in apparently a playful manner along the bottom of the fountain. It would make a sudden dart, throwing itself upon its back and sides. In doing this, it was always followed by several small roach and dace, which no doubt fed on the insects which harbour in the mud, and which the chub disturbed.

"Perch appear to be a very precocious fish. I have known them full of spawn when they have not been more than three inches in length.

"From various experiments which I have tried, there can, I think, be no doubt but that fish have the organs of hearing. Mr. John Hunter was of that opinion, but many people, I believe, still doubt the fact. There is, some of the rivers in South Wales, which would go some however, a singular mode of taking trout practised in way to confirm the supposition. The sides of the rivers are here and there very rocky, and where there is a flat shelving rock, trout generally haunt under it. If this rock is struck forcibly with a large sledge hammer, the trout rise to the surface of the water, appearing as if they were stunned, and are then taken.

"The Dutch fishermen who bring live cod in well-boats to the river Thames, to supply Billingsgate Market, are which they perform with a sharp pointed instrument, like in the habit of puncturing the air-bladders of the fish, a shoe-maker's awl. By this means the fish sink to the bottom, and remain perfectly quiet during the voyage, so that they do not bruise themselves, and are more closely stowed." Few fish die by the operation. Cod remain so perfectly healthy in brackish water, that I have little doubt if they were habituated to fresh water by degrees they might be preserved in ponds for a considerable space of time. Persons having ponds near the coast of Kent or Essex might easily try the experiment. Fresh water trout are constantly taken in the sea near the months of rivers, and I believe occasionally other fresh water fish, a proof that they can become habituated to salt water.

"Every year serves to convince me more and more, that the idea which I ventured, with considerable diff. dence, to advance in the first volume of my Gleanings, of the non-migration of gregarious fish, such as mackarel, herrings, pilchards, &c. is a correct one. It has been supposed by Pennant, and other able writers on Natural History, that large shoals of herrings leave the neighbourhood of Shetland in June, and surround the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, congregating again off the Landsend in September. From the united testimony of many intelligent fishermen, and from my own observation, I am convinced that no such migration takes place, but that by a beautiful and benevolent arrangement of

« 上一頁繼續 »