* lectures and experiments the application of science to the 66 common purposes of life.” Το carry this scheme into effect, thirty thousand pounds were very soon raised by subscrip→ tion, and the support of the work depended on annual and life subscribers, among the former of whom are numbered a bove an hundred ladies,

We shall pass over the charter ordinances and bye laws of the "Royal institution of Great Britain." If they are not cumbrous, they are uninteresting.

The house, prepared for the depository of the apparatus, the receptacle of all models and machines, and the lecture room, is situated in Albemarle street, London. Here the proprietors have purchased real estate to a considerable amount. In one room may be found all the journals and pub lications of the learned and scientific societies throughout the world, where any person, agreeably to the bye laws, may read and speculate at his leisure, In others is found all the requisite philosophical apparatus, which can be used in such an institution. The court yard is appropriated to fitting up many machines and instruments of their full size, that their operation and usefulness may be demonstrated by actual use, To this establishment all mechanics and artisans are invited, and all the information, they can request, is freely given them, without reluctance or expense.

The royal institution has already received many valuable collections of ingenious workmanship. The public lectures have been highly approved. Count Rumford gave the greatest part of his philosophical and chemical apparatus, the last of which was very extensive, to aid the establishment. He has supplied it with complete specimens of all his inventions and improvements, which he has recommended in his essays, and which have been fairly tried by his own experience. His improvements in the utensils of cooking and kitchen apparatus are here displayed in the most public and satisfactory manner.

Count Rumford in a letter, written about the time the house was opened, and the public lectures commenced in March

"The number of our

1800, thus speaks of the institution. "subscribers now amounts to nine hundred and thirty eight; 66 among which two hundred and sixty five, who have paid "fifty guineas each. Our prospectus, charter, and ordinan

ces, bye laws and regulations are now printing. The first "number of our journals was printed a few days ago. By "these publications the nature of our institution may be "learnt, and its tendency distinctly perceived. The plan of "the institution has met with general approbation in every part of Europe. If it should not be copied in America, I "shall be greatly and sorely disappointed.”

But

His tenth essay, which occupies almost the whole of the third volume, contains an account of all his improvements and schemes, relative to the art of cookery. To throw out of use the whole laboratory of a kitchen, and completely to, change the utensils and the mode of cooking, must require. much time, and not a little altercation with cooks. Rumford never recommends any plan for general use, until he has given it a fair and thorough trial under every eircumstance. Fortunately for him, and for humanity, he found men of wealth, influence, and inclination, to aid him in his laborious, useful, and expensive experiment.

The most perfect kitchen, he has ever constructed, is in the house of Baron Lerchenfeld at Munich; and, although the intended alterations alarmed the cook, who thought no improvement could be made in his department, as is generally the case with such kind of people, he has found the advantage of the new culinary system, and it has given him complete satisfaction. This kitchen is particularly described in this essay, and several plans are given, which furnish information for constructing, or using it.

Although he has made many and important improvements in the kitchen apparatus, and, by their simplicity and obvious utility, rendered the acquisition of cooking utensils and consequently the blessings of the culinary art within the reach of many poor and wretched cottagers, the process of cooking by his experiments possesses advantages superior to that, used in

the ordinary way. The reasoning and experiments, which are made to throw new light on this important art, and which has never yet been sufficiently investigated, are very curious, and are worthy the attention of every member of society.

The eleventh essay contains merely supplementary obser vations on chimney fireplaces, intended to explain the reasons of the inefficacy of the alterations of smoking chimneys according to the rules and directions, given in the fourth essay. But carelesness in the construction of chimneys on his principles, and not the defect of those principles, has been al most the universal cause why the Rumford fireplaces ever smoke.

The few pages, contained in the twelfth essay on the sa lubrity of warm rooms, consist of observations, which are the result of experiments, and his own practice and habits.*

Having, by his intense application to public business in Bavaria, brought upon him a great degree of debility and ill health several years before, he was advised by his physician in the summer of 1800, after the establishment of the royal institution, to try the waters of Harrowgate in Yorkshire. While he resided here for two months, he had a fair oppor

* It has been a vulgar opinion, that warm rooms are pernicious to health, and that the surest mean of preserving it is as far, as possible, to accommodate ourselves to an uniform temperature. On reflexion this opinion will vanish, and, instead of warm rooms being considered injurious, rooms impartially warmed will be found the cause of catarrhs and colds. The inhabitants of the northern countries live in two atmospheres so different, while half their days are spent in the great but uniform heat of their close cottages and chaumiéres, and the other half in the open regions of frost, that changing from one to the other, they would experience all the evils, which are commonly attributed to this change. These people however never suffer from this cause. The philosophy of living comfortably in this respect consists in keeping the body uniformly affected by the atmosphere, which immediately surrounds us rather, than fixing the degree of temperature at any particular point, or changing the atmosphere. If every part of the body is equally impressed, and no one part suffers an affection of warm air, while another is influenced by cold blaste or currents, our health is in little or no danger. Hence, our attention should be directed to making the warmth of rooms uniform, and prevent the intrusion of cold and imperceptible currents of external air, which clandestinely atrack our health and constitution.

tunity of experiencing the effects of warm bathing. The thirteenth essay contains his reflexions and experiments or this subject.

To his ingenious observations relative to warm bathing he gives some general directions how baths should be constructed. In addition to the influence, which this operation has on the constitution, which has restored him to better health, than he had enjoyed for seven or eight years, he recommends it, as an object of harmless and useful luxury. To increase the pleasure of using warm baths he recommends the burning of sweet scented woods and aromatic gums and resins in the bathing rooms in small chaffing dishes, by which the air will be perfumed with the most pleasant aromatic odours. Af ter noticing the use, which nations of different climates make of warm bathing, he observes, "Those, who are disposed to "smile at this display of eastern luxury, would do well to "reflect on the sums, they expend on what they consider as "luxuries; and then compare the real and harmless enjoy→ "ments, derived from them, with the rational and innocent "pleasures, here recommended. I would ask them, if a "statesman, or a soldier, going from the refreshing enjoyment of a bath, such as I have described, to the senate, or "to the field, would in their opinion be less likely to do his "duty, than a person, whose head is filled, and whose fac "ulties are deranged by the fumes of wine.

"Effeminacy is no doubt very despicable, especially in person, who aspires to the character and virtues of a man; "but I see no cause for calling any thing effeminate, which "has no tendency to diminish either the strength of the body, "the dignity of the sentiment, or the energy of the mind. "I see no good reason for considering those grateful, aro"matic perfumes, which in all ages have been held in such "high estimation, as a less elegant or less rational luxury, than smoking tobacco, or stuffing the nose with snuff."

The fourteenth essay exhibits additional remarks relating to the management of fire in closed fireplaces. This is of essential service to brewers, distillers, and other arti

sans, whose business requires a great consumption of fuel, and a continued application of heat. It contains a few curious experiments concerning the daily use of culinary processes, and shows in a striking manner how much a little philosophical knowledge of the operation of fire will contribute to domestic enjoyments.

The expansive power of steam, which places within the control of man the greatest force, the laws of nature have ever permitted him to direct, has long been well known. But to employ it, as a conveyor of heat, by which many mechanical arts have been greatly improved, and the comforts of mankind multiplied, was first taught by Rumford. The idea, that water can actually be made to boil violently in a wooden cistern, removed to a great distance from any fire, will surprise many; but the surprise will be increased, when many hogsheads of cold water in a few minutes are made to boil by only admitting steam through a small tube from a boiler, containing only a few gallons. Those, who are inclined to gratify their curiosity by perusing a few pages on this subject, will turn to his fifteenth essay, which closes the third volume. It furnishes the most useful information on affairs of this kind, that any book of whatever size can possibly afford.

Besides the regular publication of his essays, Rumford has furnished the Royal Society, of which he is vice president, with many valuable papers, particularly one on the expansive force of fired gun powder. This paper is found among the transactions of the society, and promises great usefulness to the military art.

As his object in all his occupations is to be useful, his publications are intended to improve the most ordinary affairs relative to human life, and those circumstances, which immediately concern domestic comfort and economy. He has made many important discoveries, and in his philosophical reasoning and deductions has guarded against the dissemination of errors. His essays furnish several instances of his candor, as a philosopher, and of his humanity, as a man. In Vol. II. No. 4. W w