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"That gloom must indeed be dreadful, which overspreads "the mind, when hope, that bright luminary of the soul, "which enlightens and cheers it, and excites and calls forth "into action all its best faculties, has disappeared."

As the first essay contains a minute account of the house of industry at Munich, the second comprises a particular examination of the general principles, on which similar institutions may be formed in any country. Statesmen, whose duty it is to watch over and protect the interests of their country, and even create and draw from all possible sources an increase of natural industry and prosperity, can never pay too much attention to this subject. We have looked with admiration upon the success of Rumford's schemes for the relief of poverty and wretchedness, and the wonder ought now to be, that such a creature, as a beggar, is known in civil society.

The article of food is the subject of his third essay. He found, that water acted a more important part in nutrition, than has generally been imagined. That soups, composed of pearl barley, pease, potatoes, cuttings of fine wheaten bread, vinegar, salt, and water, in certain proportions, afforded the cheapest, most savory, and most nourishing food, that could be procured. But as the pleasure of eating is by no means to be disregarded, small cuttings of dry bread are put into the soups, just before being served up for the table, which requires mastication, and prolongs the enjoyment of eating. By the Count's interesting experiments on this subject it is surprising, how small a quantity of solid food is necessary to provide a luxurious dinner. As there are many accurate experiments and receipts in the third essay, we shall insert one, which is the daily soup, served up in the house of industry at Munich. This soup contains potatoes, which were introduced by him, and is cheaper and more palatable, than that, which had been made without them, although the prejudice against that vegetable* amongst all classes of

* Count Rumford has made many observations upon the nutritive qualities of potatoes, and from his own experiments is convinced, that it is of great

people rendered it necessary to introduce them into the soups by stealth.

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7 6232

Total daily expenses, when dinner is provided for 1200 persons

This sum (£1 763) divided by 1200, the number of portions of soup, gives for each portion one farthing nearly, or accurately 1 farthing.

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Rumford has endeavored to introduce Indian corn, or polenta, into the European countries, where it has not been much used. Finding from his inquiries, that it is the basis of the most nourishing and palatable food, and believing, that "what"ever pleases the palate nourishes," he has made many experiments to ascertain, what is the best mode of using it. This is principally bread, hasty pudding, and boiled indian pudding, as they are usually made in New England. He has given many approved receipts for all these, and, as they are

importance to the interest of society, that they should be more cultivated, than they have been. In support of this opinion, Professor Smith in his valuable treatise on the wealth of nations, thus speaks of this vegetable, as a source of national wealth. "The chairmen, porters, and coalheavers in Lon"don, and those unfortunate women, who live by prostitution, the strongest men and the most beautiful women perhaps in the British dominions, are "said to be the greater part of them from the lower rank of people in Ireland, "who are generally fed with this root. No food can afford a more decisive * proof of its nourishsing qualities, or of its being peculiarly suitable to the "health of the human constitution."

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the most simple, and require no great skill or ingenuity in their preparation, the poor find great advantage in its use.

The object of this essay is to show the importance of cookery, as it respects national economy, the health, and the enjoyments of mankind; and however different may be the pursuits of the epicure and the statesman, Rumford has promoted the interest of both.

"The plague of a smoking chimney is proverbial," and, if Rumford's plans of reform, contained in his fourth essay, have not rendered the proverb obsolete, it is because his directions have not been accurately observed, or carefully executed. In this essay upon chimney fireplaces he has given numerous details and illustrations concerning the cause of the ascent of smoke, the mode of altering smoking chimneys, the means of increasing the quantity of radiant heat, and in short, satisfactorily shown how to make common fires more useful with less expense of fuel, than the common fireplaces require.

As the combined heat, or that, which passes up the chimney with the smoke and vapor, is probably four or five times greater, than that, which passes off, as radiant heat, which is the only part, that warms the room, the great difficulty is to form the chimney in such manner, as to diminish the quantity of combined heat, by increasing that of the radiant heat.

He found, that bricks and morter or firestone were the best materials, and that the sides of the fireplace, made of them, should form an angle of 135 degrees with the back. That the back should be one third the breadth of the fireplace in front, and carried perpendicularly up till it meets the breast, and end abruptly, leaving the throat of the chimney in the narrowest place about four inches wide. sides of the fireplace should be plastered, and whitewashed, because they will then absorb less heat, and send into the room by reflection more radiant heat, than any other substance or color is capable of doing.

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The back, the sides, and the breast of the fireplace should all be made smooth, and without any projection whatever.

The breast must be made round, or a little convex, from the inner side of the mantle to where it rises to form the forepart of the throat of the chimney.

*

Besides explaining the philosophical principles, on which the alterations in chimneys are to be made, and giving all the minute directions, necessary to be followed in these improvements, he says, the expense of fuel by his own experiments is reduced one half. But much of the neatness, economy, and comfort of a fire depend on the management of the fuel. "Those, who have feeling enough," says Count Rumford, "to be made miserable by any thing careless, slovenly, and "wasteful, which happens under their eyes, who know what "comfort is, and consequently are worthy the enjoyment of

a clean hearth and a cheerful fire, should really either take "the trouble themselves to manage their fires, which indeed "would rather be an amusement to them, than a trouble, or 66 they should instruct their servants to manage them better."

As coals are much used for fuel, especially in England, Rumford has given proper rules for improving the grates in open fireplaces. Nothing is obscure in his explanations, but every principle and direction is conveyed in language, pure, easy, and intelligible.

His fifth essay comprises "a short account of the military academy at Munich ;" an account of the means used to

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* Owing to the carelessness, conceit, or obstinacy of our masons, the plans, here recommended, have only been partially, if at all, followed. Among the many hundreds of fireplaces, which were altered under Rumford's own directions, and many were thought to be quite incurable, he has never been disappointed, but every one has fully answered his expectations. That there should be many old chimneys, which for the want of these alterations now continue to smoke, is not to be wondered at; but that new ones should daily be erected, which by smoking render the rooms quite uncomfortable, is really astonishing.

If the masons will not examine new schemes, and put them in practice, when such satisfactory evidence is produced of their efficacy, those persons, who are building, should see to it themselves; and, if they will only take the trouble to construct the chimneys" in the neighbourhood of the fireplace" properly, they may 'rest assured, that their houses will be freed from the plague of a smoking chimney.

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cc improve the breed of horses and horned cattle in Bavaria " and the Palatinate ;" an account of the measures, adopted "for putting an end to usury at Munich," and "an ac"count of a scheme for employing the soldiery in Bavaria in "repairing the highways and public roads." The last has not yet been effected, owing to some particular reasons; but the Count says, " perhaps a time will come, when they will 66 cease to exist."

(To be continued.)

BIOGRAPHY.

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MEMOIRS OF THE AUTHOR OF ANACHARSIS.

I

[Continued from page 19.]

TAKE a pleasure in adding here the names of such persons of science or taste, as I had an opportunity of knowing in Italy. I saw often at Naples the Canon Marachi, Count Garola, the Duke of Noia, and Count Pianura. It would be difficult to unite more piety, more modesty, and more knowledge, than was possessed by the first. He was then laboring upon the inscriptions, found at Heraclea. This work, a monument of profound erudition and invincible courage, would leave nothing to be desired, if it were not incumbered with too many notes, which, though they may be instructing, do not interest, because they are useless. Count Garola gave the most flattering reception to those enlightened strangers, who had been brought to Naples by the new discoveries. The Duke of Noia had formed of the medals of Great Greece alone an immense collection. Count Pianura was not contented with this series alone; his cabinet contained every species. He had the complaisance to give me several, and I begged him to add that of Cornelia Supera,

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