for a succession of _one hundred and forty-two years_,--and leave a
balance of two thousand dollars remaining.
[_Richmond Com._
_English Churn._--An improvement has been made in England in the
construction of the dasher of the churn, which "is made to turn on
a pivot, fixed in the lower end of the handle, and consists of two
pieces set crosswise, so as to form four wings, diagonally shaped,
and something similar to those of a windmill. Let the wings be about
two inches wide, proportioned in length to the dimensions of the
churn, and of such a level as gives them an inclination of about
forty-five degrees.
The pivot on which the wings turn to be of iron, otherwise it will
soon wear out."
The above plan is more efficacious than any other, and requires the
operation to be moderately performed lest the butter come too soon,
and therefore become swetted.
_Watermelon Sirup._--Those of our readers who may not be acquainted
with the fact, but yet are friendly to domestic economy, are
informed, that one gallon of watermelon-juice will, by boiling,
afford one pint of pure sirup, preferable either to honey or
molasses, for domestic or medical purposes. The trial is easily
made, and the expense trifling.
_Patent Churn._--A churn has been invented by a young man in
Vermont, which answers every purpose with a very trifling labour. It
stands perpendicularly, and is perfectly tight.--The operation is
performed by a person sitting near the churn and working the machine
by each hand, as you work a pump. The dasher is turned by means of
two leather straps, which are fastened at one end of the upright
cylinder, and passing each once round it in opposite directions, are
fastened at the other end of the handle on each side of the upright.
So that the stroke with one hand turns the dasher once round, and
that with the other turns it back.
_Socrates._--One day when Alcibiades was boasting of his wealth
and the great estates in his possession, (which generally blow
up the pride of young people of quality,) Socrates carried him
to a geographical map, and asked him to find Attica. It was so
small, it could scarcely be discerned upon the draft; he found it,
however, though with some difficulty. But, upon being desired to
point out his own estate there--"It is too small," says he, "to be
distinguished in so little a space."
"See then," replied Socrates, "how much you are affected about an
imperceptible point of the earth."
_Georgetown, (Ky.) August 3._--A white crow was lately shot by
Col. Rhodes Thompson, at his residence, on Elkhorn, about two and
a half miles from this town. It was examined by several scientific
gentlemen, and pronounced to be of the crow species; it resembled
the common black crow in every thing but its colour, which was of a
dingy white.--Col. Thompson had observed it for some time among a
flock of black crows, and had ascertained its note to be the same as
theirs.
_Scotch Adventurers._--The character which the Scotch have acquired,
beyond almost any other people, for the art of pushing their fortune
abroad, was never perhaps more singularly illustrated than by the
following anecdote, which Dr. Anderson relates in his "Bee," on the
authority of a baronet of scientific eminence.
The Russians and Turks, in the war of 1739, having diverted
themselves long enough in the contest, agreed to treat for peace.
The commisioners, for this purpose, were marshal Gen. Keith, on
the part of Russia, and the grand vizier on that of the Turks.
These personages met, and carried on their negotiations by means
of interpreters. When all was concluded, they rose to separate:
the marshal made his bow, with his hat in his hand, and the vizier
his salam, with his turban on his head. But when these ceremonies
of taking leave were over, the vizier turned suddenly, and coming
up to marshal Keith, took him cordially by the hand, and in the
broadest Scotch dialect, declared warmly that it made him "unco
happy to meet a countryman in his exalted station." Keith started
with astonishment, eager for an explanation of the mystery, when
the vizier added, "Dinna be surprised, mon, I'm o' the same country
wi' yoursel'. I mind weel seeing you and your brother, when boys,
passin by to the school at Kirkaldy; my father, Sir, was _bellman
of Kirkaldy_." What more extraordinary can be imagined, than to
behold in the plenipotentiaries of two mighty nations, two foreign
adventurers, natives of the same mountainous territory; nay, of the
very same village!--What indeed more extraordinary, unless it be the
spectacle of a Scotchman turned Turk for the sake of honours, held
on the tenure of a caprice from which even Scotch prudence can be no
guarantee!
_Garrick._--Mr. Twiss, a romancing traveller, was talking of a
church he had seen in Spain which was a mile and a half long. "Bless
me, (cried Garrick,) how broad was it?" "About ten yards," said
Twiss. "This is, you'll observe, gentlemen, (said Garrick to the
company,) not a round lie, but differs from his other stories, which
are generally as broad as they are long."
_Franklin Donation Fund._--The trustees of the fund established by
Dr. Franklin, for the benefit of young married mechanics, in Boston,
give notice, that they will make loans, in sums not exceeding 200
dollars to one individual, on the terms prescribed by Dr. Franklin,
viz.
"The applicant must be a married mechanic, under the age of 25
years, who has faithfully served an apprenticeship of five years
at least, in the town of Boston. He must produce a certificate of
his moral character, from at least two respectable citizens of said
town, who are willing to become bound with him, to the trustees, for
the repayment of the sum loaned, by annual instalments of 10 per
cent. with interest annually, at the rate of 5 per cent."
_Flour._--Flour has recently been sold at Cincinnati for $2.25 per
bbl. "good money." The crops of grain have been exceedingly heavy in
the western country.
_Herculaneum Manuscripts._--Sir Humphrey Davy has had great success
in unrolling the manuscripts of Herculaneum and Pompeii. In a short
time the contents of each roll will be known, as well as its title,
which is generally found in the interiour.
_Whaling!_--It would seem by the following articles from the Boston
Patriot, that the invention of the torpedo by the late Robert
Fulton, to destroy enemies' ships in the late war, is about to be
made use of for another valuable purpose, viz. blowing up whales!
"It was hardly to have been expected, that these destructive engines
should have been adopted in the prosecution of one of the most
thriving branches of business in which navigation is now employed.
Yet, we are informed that a vessel has recently been fitted at New
Bedford, bound on a whaling cruise, with an apparatus on board for
the purpose of taking whales by _blowing them up_.
"Torpedoes, of arrow form, are thrown from a gun on board the
vessel, which are calculated to sink into the body of the whale, and
there explode. As the experiment has not yet been fully tested, we
think its success, to say, the least, is problematical."
_New York school fund, &c._--We have a long and interesting
statement in the New York papers, of the funds set apart for
literary purposes. They chiefly consist of bonds and mortgages, for
money loaned, a considerable quantity of bank stocks, and sundry
valuable tracts of land. The amounts are as follows:
The fund for the support of "common schools" is equal to $1,232,908,
and its annual product about $78,964.
The fund for the "promotion of literature" amounts to $201,439,
and its income is $5,288. This fund is divided among the colleges,
in proportion to their scholars. Both of these funds are on the
increase as to value and product.
Besides,--the occasional grants of the legislature for literary
purposes since 1790, amounts to $1,189,056. And the general
aggregate of appropriations, for the last thirty years, including
escheated lands, schools lots, fees, &c., but excluding the annual
revenue derived from the permanent funds, is estimated to amount to
3,000,000 of dollars!
_Premiums._--At a meeting of the Merino Society in London, 12th
May, after awarding the prizes to the best show of sheep and
superfine broadcloth, the premium of ten guineas for worsted yarn,
was adjudged to Mr. J. Head, of Kirkstall, near Leeds, for one
pound of wool spun by a newly invented machine, which was superior
in fineness to any heretofore seen, and peculiarly adapted for the
finest bombazeens, &c. It produced 95 hanks of 530 yards each in
length, equal to 30 miles and 400 yards, to a pound of wool.
_Salt mines of Meurthe._--The researches for the discovery of rock
salt, which commenced in July last, at Moyenire, in the department
of La Meurthe, in France, are carried on to advantage. After
exploring to the depth of 200 feet, and reaching the first layer,
which is 11 feet in thickness, the workmen had to perforate a bed
of gypsum and clay of five hundred and forty-six feet, when they
came to a second stratum of salt, eight feet in thickness. It is
intended to remove the researches to two other neighbouring points,
to ascertain the breadth and magnitude of the whole bed. The two
points form a triangle nearly equilateral, each side of which may
be about 6 or 700 toises in length. One of these points is the city
of Vic, and the other to the south of it. On this latter point they
have already pierced to the depth of 26 feet of vegetable earth:
the orifice of each bore is 3½ inches, which constantly fills
up with fresh water. The salt of the first bed is extremely white,
and transparent as rock crystal. It is likewise very pure, and free
from every noxious or terrene substance. The second appears to be
intermixed with gypseous or argillaceous substance, but a very
small proportion. This salt is brown, not unlike a clouded flint;
both the kinds are very compact, well crystallized, the fractures
cubical, and the saline taste superior to that of any salt obtained
by evaporation. It contains but very little of muriate of magnesia,
or of sulphate of lime.
_More silver!_--We have the following account of the discovery of
a silver mine, in a paper printed at Salem, Indiana, July 10.--"We
have been informed by gentlemen of credibility, that there has been
a silver mine lately discovered in the late purchase in this state.
The circumstances relating to it are these: A few months ago, a
gentleman near the boundary line, was informed by an Indian, that
there was a mine of this kind somewhere, but refused to tell him
where it was, unless the man would pay him fifty dollars, a horse,
a gun and several blankets, which the man did, and was taken to the
place, and brought away several pounds of the ore. He has since, we
are told, brought away about 300 pounds. He refuses to tell where
it is, but says there is at least three wagon loads already cast
into bars by the Indians, which he intends to bring away. We have
seen (so have several citizens of Salem) some of the ore, and should
suppose it at least two-thirds silver. The ore is so pure that it
can be drawn out with the hammer into bars of almost any size, and
it is thought by some to be sufficiently pure in its natural state.
From the representation of it, the mine is inexhaustible, and in a
situation difficult to be discovered."
DIED,
In England, on the 19th June, at his house, Spring-grove, near
Hounslow, the venerable president of the Royal Society, the Right
Hon. Sir JOSEPH BANKS, G. C. B. &c. &c. &c. The loss to science by
the demise of this excellent man and liberal patron will be long and
severely felt. Sir Joseph had been for a long time labouring under a
most distressing illness; for some years he had been deprived of the
use of his lower extremities, and rendered so feeble as to be lifted
from his room to his carriage. He possessed a princely fortune, of
which he assigned a large portion to the encouragement of science,
particularly natural history, private and public charities, and
domestic hospitality.--Also, on the 31st May, I. BRADLEY, the
Yorkshire giant:--when dead he measured nine feet in length, and
three feet over the shoulders.
FOR THE RURAL MAGAZINE.
Of JOHN LOGAN, the author of the following touching stanzas, it is
well observed by his biographer CHALMERS, that it would be difficult
to produce, from the whole range of English poetry, any thing more
exquisitely tender and pathetic, than some of his productions.--He
died in London, December, 1788, in the fortieth year of his age.
His end is described as edifying. When he became too weak to hold a
book, we are told he employed his time in hearing such young persons
as visited him read the Scriptures.
I.
THE BRAES OF YARROW.
"Thy braes were bonny, Yarrow stream!
When first on them I met my lover,
Thy braes how dreary, Yarrow stream!
When now thy waves his body cover!
For ever now, O Yarrow stream!
Thou art to me a stream of sorrow;
For never on thy banks shall I
Behold my love, the flower of Yarrow.
"He promised me a milk-white steed,
To bear me to his father's bowers;
He promised me a little page,
To 'squire me to his father's towers;
He promised me a wedding ring,--
The wedding day was fix'd to-morrow;--
Now he is wedded to his grave,
Alas, his watery grave, in Yarrow!
"Sweet were his words when last we met;
My passion I as freely told him!
Clasp'd in his arms, I little thought
That I should never more behold him!
Scarce was he gone, I saw his ghost;
It vanish'd with a shriek of sorrow;
Thrice did the water-wraith ascend,
And gave a doleful groan thro' Yarrow!
"His mother from the window look'd,
With all the longing of a mother;
His little sister weeping walk'd
The green-wood path to meet her brother:
They sought him east, they sought him west,
They sought him all the forest through;
They only saw the cloud of night,
They only heard the roar of Yarrow!
"No longer from thy window look,
Thou hast no son, thou tender mother;
No longer walk thou lovely maid;
Alas, thou hast no more a brother!
No longer seek him east or west,
And search no more the forest through;
For wandering in the night so dark,
He fell a lifeless corse in Yarrow.
"The tear shall never leave my cheek,
No other youth shall be my marrow;[9]
I'll seek thy body in the stream,
And then with thee I'll sleep in Yarrow."
The tear did never leave her cheek,
No other youth became her marrow;
She found his body in the stream,
And now with him she sleeps in Yarrow.
[9] Mate.
THE IVY.
From Barton's Poems.
Dost thou not love, in the season of spring,
To twine thee a flowery wreath,
And to see the beautiful birch-tree fling
It shade on the grass beneath?
Its glossy leaf and its silvery stem;
Oh! dost thou not love to look on them?
And dost thou not love, when leaves are greenest,
And summer has just begun,
When in the silence of moon light thou leanest,
Where glist'ning waters run,
To see, by that gentle and peaceful beam,
The willow bend down to the sparkling stream?
And oh! in a lovely autumnal day,
When leaves are changing before thee,
Do not nature's charms, as they slowly decay,
Shed their own mild influence o'er thee?
And hast thou not felt, as thou stood'st to gaze,
The touching lesson such scene displays?
It should be thus at an age like thine:
And it has been thus with me;
When the freshness of feeling and heart were mine,
As they never more can be:
Yet think not I ask thee to pity my lot,
Perhaps I see beauty where thou dost not.
Hast thou seen in winter's stormiest day,
The trunk of a blighted oak,
Not dead, but sinking in slow decay,
Beneath time's resistless stroke,
Round which a luxuriant Ivy had grown,
And wreath'd it with verdure no longer its own?
Perchance thou hast seen this sight, and then,
As I, at thy years might do,
Pass'd carelessly by, nor turn'd again
That scathed wreck to view;
But now I can draw, from that mould'ring tree,
Thoughts which are soothing and dear to me,
O smile not! nor think it a worthless thing,
If it be with instruction fraught;
That which will closest and longest cling,
Is alone worth a serious thought!
Should aught be unlovely which thus can shed
Grace on the dying, and leaves not the dead?
Now, in thy youth, beseech of HIM
Who giveth, upbraiding not,
That his light in thy heart become not dim,
And his love be unforgot;
And thy God, in the darkest of days, will be,
Greenness, and beauty, and strength to thee?
TO A COUNTRY GIRL,
Who expressed a wish to lead a town life.
Sweet Mary, sigh not for the town,
Where vice and folly reign;
Spurn not the humble homespun gown
That suits the rural plain.
In ev'ry street the city's glare
Doth simple hearts betray:
And simple hearts, who wander there,
Are sure to lose their way.
The tradesman plays his wily part,
To take the stranger in:
The profligate displays his art,
The modest maid to win:
He lures her to perdition's brink
By ev'ry treach'rous scheme,
Then leaves the hapless wretch to sink
In pleasure's guilty stream!
The flaunting crowd, that seem so gay,
May please you for a while;
But joy with these doth rarely stay,
Or sweet contentment's smile.
The splendid dome that proudly rears
Its gilded roof on high,
Full oft conceals pale Envy's tears,
And Disappointment's sigh.
There foul Ambition loves to dwell,
False Pride, and lust of Fame,
There Malice and Revenge rebel
Against the good man's name.
Ah! little do you know, sweet maid,
What are the city spoils,
Where villains ply the canting trade,
And fraud is drest in smiles.
Then, Mary, sigh no more to rove,
Or change your native fields,
The rural walk, the verdant grove,
For all the city yields.
And when some swain of soul sincere,
Shall seek your love to gain,
Trust to his faith, nor ever fear,
That you shall trust in vain.
So shall your rustic life be spent,
With every blessing crown'd,
Within your doors, shall sweet Content,
And faithful Love be found.
And when your infant offspring rise,
A mother's smile to greet,
The joy that sparkles in their eyes,
Shall your own bliss complete!
Your tide of life, thus even flowing,
Will ebb at last, 'tis true;
When calm, with Hope your bosom glowing,
You'll bid the world adieu!
[_P. Boy._
The following stanzas are from the pen of the poet Montgomery.
They have never before appeared in print; we having been
favoured with them by a friend who received them from the poet.
They evince, as indeed do all Mr. M.'s writings, that he is not
only a good poet, but a good man.
[_Catskill Recorder._
ON PRAYER.
Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
Utter'd or unexpressed;
The motion of a hidden fire,
That trembles in the breast.
Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear;
The upward glancing of an eye,
When none but God is near.
Prayer is the simplest form of speech.
That infant lips can try;
Prayer the sublimest strains that reach.
The Majesty on high.
Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,
The Christian's native air;
His watchword at the gates of death,
He enters Heaven with prayer.
Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice.
Returning from his ways;
While angels in their songs rejoice.
And cry, "Behold he prays."
In prayer on earth, the saints are one--
In word, in deed, in mind;
When with the Father and the Son
Sweet fellowship they find.
Nor prayer is made on earth alone,
The Holy Spirit pleads;
And Jesus on the eternal throne,
For sinners interceds.
O! Thou, by whom we come to God,
The life, the truth, the way,
The path of prayer thyself hast trod--
Lord, teach us how to pray!
BANK NOTE EXCHANGE,
At PHILADELPHIA--_Aug. 29th, 1820._
Per cent Disc't.
U. S. BRANCH BANK Notes, 1½
RHODE ISLAND--generally, 1
CONNECTICUT--generally, 2
MASSACHUSETTS--Boston, 1
Country generally, 4-5
NEW JERSEY--generally, par.
PENNSYLVANIA--Farmer's Bank, of }
Lancaster; Easton; Montgomery } par.
County; Chester }
County, at Westchester, }
New Hope; Northampton, 1
Susquehanna Bridge Company, 2½
York; Chambersburg, 2
Northumberland; Union; } 17
Columbia Bank, at Milton, }
Centre, 17½
Meadville. 60
Farmers & Mechanics' Bank } 25
at Pittsburg, }
DELAWARE--generally, par.
Commercial Bank of Del. par.
Branch of ditto at Milford, 4
Laurel Bank, 50
MARYLAND--Baltimore Banks, ½
Baltimore City Bank, 5
Annapolis; Hagerstown, 2-2½
VIRGINIA--Country generally, 2-2½
N. W. Bank, at Wheeling, 8
COLUMBIA DISTRICT--Mech. Bank } 3
of Alexandria, }
Country generally, 1
NORTH CAROLINA--State Bank at } 4
Raleigh, and Branches, }
Cape Fear; Newbern, 4½
SOUTH CAROLINA--State Banks, generally, 2
GEORGIA--State Banks, generally, 3
Augusta Bridge Company, 75
TENNESSEE--Few sales at any price.
KENTUCKY--Kentucky Bank, and } 30
Branches, }
OHIO--Marietta; Steubenville 12½
Bank of Chillicothe, 5
Country generally, 20-50
RAIN GUAGE AT PHILADELPHIA.
In. hun.
July 27, Shower, 0. 11
28 & 29, Rain, 0. 32
30, do. 0. 36
31, do. 0. 35
Aug. 1, Rain, 0. 50
5, Shower, 0. 20
11, do. 0. 07
14, Rain, 0. 48
15, do. 0. 46
16, do. 0. 20
17, Shower, 0. 07
PRICES CURRENT.--_Aug. 29, 1820._
Per D.C. D.C.
Beef. Philad. Mess, (pl.) _bbl._ 13.00
Butter, Fresh _lb._ 0.12 " 0.20
Cotton Yarn, No. 10, _lb._ 0.36
Cotton, (Louisiana) " 0.18 " 0.22
Flax, Clean, (scarce) " 0.16 " 0.18
Firewood, Hickory, _cord_, 5.00 " 6.00
Oak, " 3.50 " 4.00
Flour--Wheat, P. S. F. _bbl._ 4.50
Rye, " 2.75
Corn Meal, 3.00
Grain--Wheat, _bush._ 0.85 " 0.90
Rye, " 0.45 " 0.55
Corn, Pa. 0.48 " 0.58
Oats, " 0.20 " 0.30
Hams--Jersey, _lb._ 0.11 " 0.13
Leather--Sole, _lb._ 0.24 " 0.30
Upper, undrs'd. _side_, 2.75 " 3.50
Plaster of Paris, _ton_, 4.75 " 5.00
Wool--Merino, Clean, _lb._ 0.75
Do. in Grease, " 0.40
Common, " 0.50
☞ Should any of our subscribers wish any particular
articles noticed in the above Prices Current, he will have it
attended to.
STATE OF THE THERMOMETER.
9 o'cl. 12 o'cl. 3 o'cl.
July 24, 71 73 76
25, 74 73 81
26, 79 82 83
27, 79 83 81
28, 79 81 83
29, 79 81 78
31, 78 84 81
Aug. 1, 79 82 83
2, 75 78 81
3, 77 78 80
4, 77 78 81
5, 77 79 78
7, 74 77 75
8, 73 77 79
9, 75 79 83
10, 79 83 87
11, 81 85 89
12, 84 89 92
14, 76 79 79
15, 74 74 78
16, 73 75 76
17, 74 79 81
18, 73 75 77
19, 71 76 76
21, 73 75 76
22, 74 78 79
23, 75 77 80
24, 74 76 76
25, 75 78 80
26, 77 -- --
ERRATA.
In our last Number, page 320, for "John Byron," read JOHN BYROM.
In page 317, under the head "Rules for Milking Cows," for "ten
gallons of milk at a time," read TEN QUARTS, &c.
PHILADELPHIA,
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY
RICHARDS & CALEB JOHNSON,
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At $3.00 per annum.
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