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instantly communicated to Primi, who, on seeing it, pronounced it to be the writing of an old miser, of a curmudgeon, of a man, in short, incapable of any thing handsome and becoming.

foretold what awaited them, which they af- send his hand-writing for his opinion. fected to believe. The stinkard, surprised at repeated solicitations, Louis gave a billet apwhat he had heard, spurred on by his curio-parently of his own writing, which Madame sity, and convinced by the success of Primi, shewed him his hand-writing, intreating his prediction of what awaited him. Primi's countenance fell in perusing it, and he returned the paper saying only, that he hoped he was mistaken." The party so strongly urged further explanation, that Primi at length acknowledged, that the journey he was then taking would prove fatal to him, and that he would be assassinated at Paris. Besides being infective, as already mentioned, this man was suspicious and cowardly. He reflected on the predictions he had heard, and fearing to come to an untimely end, he quitted the carriage, and returned to his home.

The astonishment of Madame was extreme, at finding her fortune-teller thus mistaken; she took away the billet, assuring him that for once he was completely wrong, but the Italian maintained that he was perfectly correct. Madame gave the billet back to the King, repeating the affirmation of Primi. The monarch was astonished in his turn, and the more, as this billet which he had given as his own writing, was, in fact, the writing of M. le Président Rose, secretary of the cabinet, who so well counterfeited the hand

sioned him to answer many things, which answers he intended should pass for his own writing. This Primi knew from M. de Vendome; and, moreover, M. Rose was accused of all the faults with which Primi had charged the writer of the billet.

Delighted with the riddance, and the suc cess of the plan, Duval complimented Primi, adding, that his talents could not fail of at-writing of Louis, that the King commistaining distinction, if he would follow a course that might be traced out for him. Primi promised docility, and Duval, when arrived at Paris, presented him to the Abbé de la Baume, afterwards Archbishop of d'Embrun, who was a handsome man, with pleasing manners, and a well-cultivated mind. He was also well received among the women, and of very general acquaintance with them, especially with Henrietta of England.

The Abbé de la Baume, after several conferences with Primi, perceiving in his cunning, in his boldness, even in his jargon compounded of Italian and French, the materials for imposition, shut him up during six weeks, without suffering him to see any body but the Duke de Vendome, and the GreatPrior of France, his brother, to whom he introduced him. They employed the time of this seclusion in teaching the Italian the genealogies of the principal persons, their connections, friendships, amours, rivalships, hatreds, &c. and when they thought him sufficiently instructed, the Abbé de la Baume reported among his acquaintance that he knew an Italian to whom the past and the future were perfectly well known, merely from a sight of the hand-writing. Men and women, the court and the city, crowded to Primi, and all returned astonished at his 'answers, believing what he foretold of the future, on the strength of what he revealed of the past. The Countess of Soissons, especially, patronized him, and having a strong inclination to intrigue, it is extremely probable that she entered into this of Primi. Madame of France visited Primi, who related to her with great particularity the events of her life; and even spoke without reserve of her then connections with the Comte de Guiche, which so effectually surprised her, that she described Prini to the King as a most extraordinary man, and pressed his Majesty to

The King, intent on clearing up the mystery, directed Bontemps, his confidential valet de chambre, to bring the Italian the next day into his cabinet, whom he thus addressed "Primi, I have only two words to say your secret-which I will pay for with a pension of two thousand livresor else— hanging!" The pension having more attractions for the Italian than the cord, he diverted the King with the history of his departure from Bologna, his adventure in the Lyons coach, the expulsion of his offensive fellowtraveller, his connections with Duval, those with the Abbé de la Baume, and Messrs. de Vendome, his six weeks seclusion; in short, the whole secret of his preparation, and the various pleasant scenes which his assumed character had opened to him, with whatever else the King desired to know. After this interview with the Italian, the King went to the Queen's apartment, and there reported before the whole court, After having long resisted the request that I would see Primi, have at last yielded, and am just come from this extraordinary man, and I must acknowledge, that he has been telling me things which no being of his kind has ever before revealed to any body." All the world perceived in this report of his Majesty additional proofs of the singular powers of Primi; his reputation increased, and with it his expec tations of fortune.

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The Abbé Primi continued this deception some time: he afterwards attempted to occupy a more serious situation, by writing the history of the actions of Louis XIV. Louvois permitted him to accompany the army in the

war against the Dutch. He composed the history of the first campaign, which was printed in Italian. This little book is sufficiently ill-written, but is remarkable for detailing too minutely not to be understood the private negociations between Charles II. of England and his sister, concluded by the profoundly secret treaty of Dover, 1670. This transaction had been kept so perfectly, that M. de Croissi, then minister for foreign affairs, no sooner saw this book, than, struck with the novelty, he brought it to the Council. The king affected surprise, sent Primi to the Bastille, seized his papers, &c. This was in July 1682; but in December Primi was released, and at quitting his prison received an ample gratification paid down.Thus did Louis vent his spite against his former intimate, Charles, who was now, by the voice of his people and his parliament, detached from his subjection to the French Monarque.

Primi afterwards changed his name, called himself Visconti, Comte de Saint Mayol and Ammonio. Under this name he is mentioned by the poet J. B. Rousseau. He married the daughter of the celebrated printer Frederic Leonard; and lived at Paris.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SHAWLS OF CASHMIRE, AND OF THE ANIMALS WHICH FURNISH THE MATERIALS FOR THAT MANUFACTURE: WITH THE HISTORY OF THEIR

TREATMENT, WOOL, &c.

From the French of M. Legoux de Flaix.

The wool of the Cashmire sheep, known under the name of touss, is the most beautiful and silky in the world, as is proved by the shawls which are procured from that country. The word shawl expresses a veil for the head, in the idiom of the Cashmirians. This veil is made of wool, which is so very soft that it might easily be mistaken for silk. Cashmire is one of the most agreeably diversified countries on the face of the earth; it is an epitome of all other climates. Those plants which grow between the tropics prosper in the plains and on the sides of the hills in this little province, and those which delight in the northern regions, occupy the mountains which surround it, whose summits are covered with snow during the greater part of the year. By reason of this variety, Cashmire is one of the most prosperous countries of Hindoostan, though that country itself is highly favoured by nature.

A sky constantly pure and serene, sparkling nights, continual dews, and innumerable fountains and springs, which stream around, water and fertilize the hills and plains of this delightful region, the city of Sicinagar, situated amid the most fertile fields, presenting delightful prospects in end

less variety, all the terraces of the houses forming so many gardens suspended in the air, as history describes those of Semiramis.— Such is an imperfect idea of the country.

The mountains which surround Cashmire produce spontaneously the most beautiful platanes, with an infinite variety of aromatic vegetables, fit for the food of sheep; they are covered almost all the year long with thyme and marjoram.

To such advantages combined, Cashmire owes great part of the superiority of its wool, and the beauty of its flocks. The attention of those who keep these flocks, with certain practices not adopted among us, complete the advantages which nature has begun.

The sheep of Cashmire is one of the most beautiful of its kind: the med um length of these animals is about 36 to 10 inches, the height from 20 to 22 inches, the weight about 55 to 60lbs. One of the most striking characters of this species is, a small head, lively eyes, the foretop somewhat stiffish, the dewlap long and wrinkled. The lambs are

born with their wool crisped, and wreathed, but on the back it is no inore than curling, and the same along the spine. Each animal vields, one with another, three seers, of 50 ounces each, of clean wool, for it is never sold till washed; once on the animal before shearing, and again in the manner I shall afterwards describe.

The form of this creature, well proportioned in all its parts, gives it a light, free, and easy gait. From the care taken in rearing it, it derives a vigorous air, a lively and even bold aspect, an established state of health, a coat beautifully white without mixture, in short, a long, fine, silky, and flexible staple.

One of the essential and most valuable qualities of the sheep of Cashmire is, its ability to resist heat as well as cold. This province is situated between 32° and 33° of N. latitude, inclosed throughout its whole circumference by a double chain of high mountains, subject equally to the heats of the torrid zone, and the lower degrees of temperature as experienced among ourselves in Europe. But the air of this country is constantly dry. This alteration, some times rapid, from the sultry scorchings of summer to the chills of winter, is in no wise prejudicial to the sheep. This arises, as I have reason to believe, from the hardness of the cranium in these creatures, and from the usage of never housing them. This effect is generally observed in India; produced, not only in the organization of men, who are constantly bareheaded, and in the habit of very frequently washing with cold water, but also in that of animals of every kind. The sheep of Cashmire are not subject to the vertigo, nor to the fatal distempers which elsewhere occasion

ravages and destruction among the flocks. I have made the same observation on the sheep of the pastures of Arcadia and those of Parnassus, which, when kept carefully, with great attention to cleanliness, and associated like those of Cashmire, are, in many respects, not unlike them.

But another attention of the shepherds of this province, as well as of those of Boutan and Thibet, is to choose the male lamb of the second bearing, to reserve as a ram for breeding. Constant experience has taught them that almost always the rams of this birth are stronger and handsomer than those of the first bearing, and even than those of succeeding births. By following this custom they have improved and strengthened the breeds; and to this care, as well as to that of never mixing their breeds with others of inferior race (like the Arabs, who never debase that race of horses which they call noble), they are beholden for the production of a wool extraordinary fine, white, silky, and long, being commonly, (on the back) from 20 to 22 inches in the staple. The wool of other parts is of the same qualities, but not more than five or six inches in length. These wools surpass, in fineness and whiteness, those of the Merino sheep, and even the sheep of Algiers, and those famous breeds of Angora.

Whether it be an effect of barbarism, or a mechanical attachment to antiquated habits of the pastoral life, the only occupation of the Tâtars, the tendence of sheep, is more assiduously attended to in Turkey than any other branch of rural economy. The method of folding, and that of breeding, has preserved the beauty of the wool, and prevented the deterioration of the breeds. In Cashmire, as in Greece and Spain, the sheep are removed from one district to another, in order to keep them the whole year round in an equal temperature: they pass the winter in the plains, and the summer on the mountains. This advantage is, however, more ready in Cashmire, as they have no long and tiresome journies to perform, because this small province is surrounded on all sides by high mountains. But further, in order to preserve their sheep from the effects of excessive heat in sunimer, the Cashinirian shep-mily of balisiers, given at times more or less

herds are particularly careful to drive their flocks several times in a day through a river or a lake. Never do they croud them in houses, or close dwellings, as if nature had not given them a clothing of fur sufficient to protect them from the inclemency of the sea

sons,

It is admitted that an atmosphere loaded with moisture is unfavourable to them, but it is also demonstrated, that an impure, and almost mephitic air, which prevails in sheep-pens, closed on all sides, affect these animals with putrid and inflammatory disorders, from which those of Cashmire and of Greece are exempt. The humidity which abounds in the corners and obscurities of buildings and pens, however large they be, say the Hindoos of Cashmire, is much more hurtful, and dangerous too, than any humidity which they might experience from the atmosphere.

The experience of ages has proved to the Cashmirian shepherds, that the immediate action of the open air, daily bathings, repeated frequently even during the great heats, frequent rains, and dews, as well as daily removals from place to place, far from being injurious, are really favourable to the health of the flocks, while at the same time they whiten and soften their fleece. These attentions, moreover, produce in the wool a fineness and smoothness; and the rays of the sun whiten them. The sheep are always abroad during the whole winter in Cashmire. In the midst of the snows and frosts of the Mounts Athos and Olympus, the sheep are, in like manner, abroad all the winter.

Sea salt, mixed with the root which is vulgarly called Indian saffron, but by botanists curcuma or terra merita, a plant of the fa

distant, according to the season and quality of the pastures, less frequently in winter, and when the season is very cold, more frequently when the weather is very hot, and the atmosphere very damp, is the only means used by the Cashmirian shepherds to prevent discases among their flocks. A milky plant, named in Hindoostan ardépal, of an extremely bitter taste, is employed by them with the greatest success, given as food to sickly individuals.

This useful plant, I have reason to think, would succeed in our climates. It flourishes without culture on the mountains equally as in the plains, in dry soils no less than in watery levels. It is of the greatest advantage to cattle of all kinds, but especially to sheep and goats; it is a specific against the itch, by using its juice in the nature of embrocations, against the scab, the swellings, and contagious disorders, to which, indeed, these animals are but little subject. These are given them as food, under such circumstances, with the greatest success.

In Cashmire green vegetables are never given to cattle, except creeping thyme, and inarjoram; in the cotes they are fed on the straw of maize, and of jouari, the leaves of which, and the stem also, resemble those of maize, but are more tender. They are also fed on the straw of rice, chopped, with which is mingled a very small quantity of barley, or the seed of jouari. In their journeys care is taken to feed them even on the plains with dry vegetables, and on the mountains with the leaves which they pick off the bushes,

In no part of Hindoostan is there a meadow; the Hindoo is convinced, that a single sheaf of rice, of corn, or of any other grain, is preferable to ten, or to a hundred trusses of hay.

The fleeces of the Cashmirian sheep are generally in good condition, because the flocks are never led among brakes and brambles, which tear the wool from off the back of the animal.

It is a well known fact, that only the white wools take perfectly the delicate and brilliant colours: for this reason they suffer no black or spotted lambs in the flock. They know also, that the longest staples are the best for weaving, and for ensuring the strength of the stuffs when woven, especially for the fabrication of shawls.

The general custom of Cashmire is to shear the sheep only once in a year; by this they obtain wool of a greater length and more perfect in its properties. But the shepherds know, that if the wool was suffered to remain any longer on the body of the animal, especially on the females, they could neither suckle their young nor become pregnant. The shearing takes place about fifteen twenty days after the return of the great heats, that the sheep may sweat, and this sweat may more fully impregnate the wool, thereby becomes more supple.

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An essential quality of the Cashmirian fleeces is their having no clots. This is a truly valuable quality, since clots are found in the fleeces of both the Spanish and the Barbary sheep.

At the period of shearing, the Cashmirian shepherds limit their washings of the sheep to twice a day, and this when even the increasing heats require it more frequently in the morning two hours after sun-rise, in the afternoon when the rays of the sun begin to weaken. They have observed, that washing when the rays of the sun dart vertically on the sheep, renders the wool crisp, less silky, less strong; it impedes transpiration, and subjects the flock to the hazard of receiving a sunstroke, which would produce the vertigo.

The wools of Cashmire are divided into two kinds; those from the young of the flock, called avouel, those of the old sheep, called duaume. The fleeces of the lambs under eighteen months or two years are sold separately; the Cashmirians make of them fur trimmings for their cloaks, or adorn their winter bonnets with them.

The first of these kinds is not quite so long as the other; it is taken from sheep of two or three years old, when the shearing begins, to those of seven, eight, or nine years.

The duaume is the longest wool; it is rather less smooth, silky, and strong. It is employed in manufacturing those cloths called banates, which the English have imitated,

and which are known in Europe under the appellation of Cassimere.

I have already observed, that before the the shearing the wool is washed upon the animals. The wool from the back is, moreover, separated from that furnished by the belly: but before they are sold for use the wools undergo two preparations, by which they are improved. First, they are exposed to the vapour of a slight ley, made of about fifty quarts of water to about ten or twelve pounds of ashes of the leaves of the banana, or of an earth greasy, barren, and white, which is easily reduced to powder: it is called by the Hindoos olé. Then they are washed with the meal of a very small cylindrical bean, greenish in colour, of a sweet taste, and of an agreeable relish, named moungue, and called by botanists mungo. With this meal the

This

shawls themselves are washed in India. mungo is an excellent food, which is prepared in a thousand different ways. Broth made from it is given to sick people with advantage; it is a febrifuge of no mean powers against fevers of all kinds, but particularly against bilious and putrid fevers.

The first of these processes consists in subjecting the wool, during seven or eight hours, to the steam of the ley, in order that it may penetrate the wool which is heaped on it, but not entangled, above the jar or vase of baked earth containing the ley. It is washed in running water, and dried in the open air.

The wool being thoroughly dry, the second operation begins. It consists in soaking the wool in an earthen pan, containing fifty quarts of river water, in which is mingled ten or twelve pounds of mango meal. The water should be luke-warm: the locks of wool are repeatedly rubbed in this liquor, in the same manner as our washerwomen employ soap in soaping of linen. After which they are passed through several clear waters, or are rinced in a river or lake, to disengage from them all the glutinous meal with wich they have been washed. These labours add greatly to the suppleness and silkiness of the wool, they whiten it and invigorate it, to such a degree, that it will not break or split. The farinaceous paste of the mungo, to use Hindoo language, has also the property of removing the sweat, and, by its mucilage, of softening the wool, and giving it a dead white colour, which is particularly beautiful to the eye, without rendering it crisp; a property which is not known to belong to any

other substance.

Soap is injurious to these wools: for which reason those who clean shawls use only the decoction of the fruit of a shrub called kasikai, which has the property of softening water. This decoction of the kasickat, which botanists call soap-making, has a pe

culiar facility of removing grease, without affecting the wool, and without injuring the colours. This shrub would succeed in the southern provinces of Europe, since it is found in Cashmire, where the cold is equal to, perhaps greater than that in the south of Eu

rope.

I do not know on the authority of what travellers it has been said, and repeated, that shawls were made of the hair of a kind of goat. I think they might as well have said they were made of stags' hairs Another notion, not less remote from truth, is, that shawls were made of the wool of abortive lambs. This barbarous idea is absurd also. The wool of such lambs is extremely short.

The superfine shawls, I must admit, are not made of the wool of sheep, how beautiful soever that may be, but of the hair of the single-humped camel of Hindoostan.This extremely valuable material, superior to the wool of the vicuna, is equally dear in price and scarce in quantity. It is procured only from the forehead and around the ears of the camel. The beautiful shawls made of this material, besides being very dear (their ordinary price at the loom is three guineas), are very rare, and procured with difficulty. Often, even, they must be bespoke at Sicinagar, the capital of Cashmire, the only manufactory of this valuable commodity.

The most beautiful shawls, of the ordinary kind, made in Cashmire, are the white. They sell for two guineas, or thereabout. They have two long ends decorated with flowers, &c. and a border from one to two inches wide, according to the price: they are three ells and a half long, by one and a half wide. Only the common ones are dyed, unless expressly desired; these are sold for a guinea.

The shawls made of camel's hair are described by the term caehe: the white, woven of the prime wool of the sheep, are called séaume; and the others, passali.

The wools are never sold till after they have teen cleansed, washed, and steeped in the lev made of the meal of mungo: the shepherds have assured me, that the diminution which they suffer in weight, by this operation does not exceed one fourth. The wool from the belly of the animal is never used in weaving shawls; a kind of stuff resembling camblet, is made of it, in the environs of Sicinagar. It is used in that neighbourhood, and the adjacent provinces.

The

The price of the wool is from 9 pence to 18 pence, the seer, of 30 ounces. whole is sold in the country, and made into shawls, or girdles, or borders for turbans, which the Arabs and Turks are extremely fond of. The pieces for these latter articles are but half an ell in width, but about five ells in length, and onamented with various rich and fanciful devices.

Those pieces of Cashmire cloth which we call Casimir, are in length more than 60 ells, and are about five eights of an ell in width their price in the manufactories is not more than four or five shillings. These cloths are greatly superior to those which are made in France, or in England, though not one quarter of the price of those made in the country last named. There is also a prodigious superiority in their duration, those of Cashmire being extremely lasting. This superiority they derive intirely from the softness and length of their staple, and the manner in which they are cleaned and prepared.

STATE OF UNIVERSITIES AND OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS FOR INSTRUCTION ON THE CONTINENT.

Gottingen.

In Panorama p. 599 we mentioned the favour extended by Bonaparté to the University of Gottingen: with some account of its establishments and officers. The following papers evince that equal good fortune has attended this institution amid the late changes to which the countries around it have been subjected. They were first published by M. Archenholz in the July number of his Minerva; a journal rich in interesting articles.

Address of the University of Gottingen to his Majesty the King of Prussia, &c.

Most illustrious Sovereign, &c.

The University of Gottingen through me approaches the elevated throne of your Majesty with equal confidence and veneration. In this period of general over-turning, when so many ancient establishments have sunk, the University sees the most certain assurances of its safety and preservation in its destiny being placed by Providence in your Majesty's hands. In what other hands could our security have been so complete? And to what other power could we have confided our security with such joyful hopes, as to that, which is become, for the last century, the supreme protecting power for the progress of scientific researches in Europe?

We ground these hopes on what the Prussian throne has always acknowledged to be its original destination, but they are so much the more encouraged by what your Majesty has already done for the sciences, that we are thereby emboldened most humbly to beg of your gracious Majesty, a confirmation of the privileges of our University, and a soothing assurance of the continuance of our existence, even in this momentous period, when the high attention of your Majesty is occupied with the fate of Europe and the progress o

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