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lodges in the villages upon the Bosphorus; but during the winter it is never of any great confequence.'

Art. 12. An Account of a remarkable Tide at Bristol. By Dr. Tucker.

The phenomenon of this tide was its rifing fuddenly, foon after it began to flow, almost to high-water mark, where it continued near half an hour: when it funk almost instantaneously, three feet perpendicular: after which, it began to flow in again, and kept flowing on, till it rose to the height it was expected to do. By the circumftances attending this extraor dinary agitation, it feems the cause of it (moft probably some fubterraneous eruption) could not be very distant.

Art. 13. A Letter containing fome Experiments in Electricity. By Mr. Bergman of Upfal, in Sweden.

Notwithstanding the many and great advantages, which the progress of fcience hath reaped from the extenfive communications of modern commerce; we fometimes find one nation almost half a century behind-hand with respect to the scientific difcoveries of another. This does not appear, indeed, to be altogether the cafe with the learned in Sweden; Mr. Bergman, however, after recapitulating the circumftances of fome experiments, well known in France and England, clofes his letter with the following questions and remark: Ullufne, in Anglia, fulminis ictus, virgis ferreis erectis, avertere conatus eft? et quo fucceffu? In Pensylvania tentari mihi narratum eft. Certe fi prodenter inftituatur, nulla hinc mala metuenda video.'—If our experimentalists cannot make a fatisfactory anfwer to the above ques tions, they must admit that they are as far behind thofe of New England and Penfylvania, as the philofophers of Sweden are to those of Great Britain.

Art. 14. An Account of a Fish from Batavia, called Jaculator. By Dr. Schlaffer.

Our good friend, Dr. Schloffer of Amfterdam, hath, it seems, prefented the Royal Society with a very uncommon fish; of which this article contains the drawing and defcription. The moft extraordinary circumftance relating to it, is the manner of its obtaining food; which is pretty fingular; indeed fo fingular, that, if a perfonal acquaintance with this ingenious gentleman did not give us fufficient reafon to think, that he could not mean to impofe on others, nor is liable to be eafily imposed on himself, we should hardly have been foon induced to give it credit.The Doctor having received from Mr. Hommel, governor of the hospital at Batavia, many uncommon fishes, well preferved, amongst them was this, called the faculator, or Shooting-fish; of which the governor gave him the following

account:

• It

It frequents the fhores and fides of the fea and rivers, in fearch of food. When it fpies a fly fitting on the plants, that grow in fhallow water, it fwims on to the diftance of four, five, or fix feet, and then, with a furprifing dexterity, it ejects out of its tubular-mouth a fingle drop of water, which never fails ftriking the fly into the fea, where it foon becomes its prey.

• The relation of this uncommon action of this cunning fish raised the governor's curiofity; though it came well attefted, yet he was determined, if poffible, to be convinced of the truth, by

-ocular demonftration.

For that purpose, he ordered a large wide tun to be filled with fea-water; then had fome of these fifh caught, and put into it, which was changed every other day. In a while, they feemed reconciled to their confinement; then he determined to try the experiment.

A flender ftick, with a fly pinned on at its end, was placed in fuch a direction, on the fide of the veffel, as the fifh could ftrike it.

It was with inexpreffible delight, that he daily faw these fifh exercising their fkill in fhooting at the fly, with an amazing velocity, and never miffed the mark.'

Art. 15. An Account of the Polish Cochineal. By Dr. Wolfe of Warfaw.

On this fubject here are two papers, the one in Latin and the other in English. They contain the description of an insect, which Dr. Wolfe fuppofes may be found in England as well as in Poland. The naturalifts may look for it in the month of June about the roots of the potentilla, fragaria, and polygonum minus.

Art. 21. An Account of the Degree of Gold cbferved in Bedfordshire. By John Howard, Efq;

By this paper we learn, that at Cardington in Bedfordshire, on the 22d of November 1763, Fahrenheit's thermometer funk fo low as ro and. But as no concomitant circumftances are mentioned, we are apprehenfive this fingular obfervation will throw no great light on the locality of cold, which is the profeffed motive for the communication of this important piece of intelligence to the Royal Society.

Art. 23. A Catalogue of the Fifty Plants from Chelsea Garden, pre-
Jented by the Company of Apothecaries, for the Year 1763.
Art. 34. An Account of feveral Fiery Meteors feen in North Ame-
rica. By Profeffor Winthrop,

Prefixed to the account of incie meteors, the writer hath thrown out fome ingenious hints relative to the appearance of meteors in general; with a view to the formation of a more fatisfactory theory of their motion than we at present poflefs.

Art. 36.

Art. 36. An Account of the Effects of Lightening at South Weald in Effex. By Dr. Heberden.

A relation of the damage done to the church of South-Weald, a village in Effex, on June 18, 1764, much about the time of the like misfortune happening to St. Bride's fteeple, and in Effexftreet, London. Dr. Heberden clofes his account with obferving, that the whole appearance of the damage done to this church very much favours the conjecture of that fagacious obferver of nature Dr. Franklin, who thinks it probable, that, by means of metallic rods or wires reaching from the roofs to the ground, any buildings may be fecured from the terrible effects of lightening.

Art. 40. Obfervations upon the Effects of Lightening, with an Account of the Apparatus propofed to prevent its Mifchiefs to Buildings, more particularly to Powder Magazines. By Dr. Watson. Dr. Watson hath here defcribed, at large, and in a very fatiffactory manner, the apparatus neceflary to prevent the mischiefs to be apprehended by lightening; but, having mentioned several particulars of this kind in a former Review, we must refer those of our Readers who are defirous of farther information on this fubject, to the article itself.

Art. 41. An Account of the Effects of Lightening in St. Bride's Church, Fleetfireet, on the 18th of June 1764. By Edward Delaval, Efq;

The ingenious author of this paper hath been very accurate and particular in his defcription of the damaged parts of this building; humanely judging it would be of ufe, by defcribing the feveral circumftances or this accident, to thew more fully the neceffity of preventing the danger to which fuch buildings are exposed.

Art. 42. A Letter from Dr. Lawrence to Dr. Heberden, concerning the Effects of Lightening in Effex-Street, on the 18th of June, 1764.

This accident hath been before mentioned, and differs little in circumstances from other accidents of the like kind.

Art. 44. A Letter to the Marquifs of Rockingham, with fome Obfervations on the Effects of Lightening.

This paper contains fome very fenfible remarks, by the ingenious Mr. Wilfon; well worth attending to, by those who would take fuch precautions, as the providential difcoveries of fcience have put into our hands, to fecure their perfons and property from the melancholy effects of fuch awful difpenfations, as are frequently the difafters attending on thunder and lightening. Art. 47. Experiments and Obfervations on the Compreffibility of Fluids. By John Canton, M. A. F. R. Š..

In fpeaking of the accounts heretofore given by Mr. Canton,

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to the Royal Society, concerning the compreffibility of fluids, we expreffed our diffatisfaction with the defcription he gave of the apparatus, whereby his experiments were determined. In the prefent paper he fays nothing to remove the difficulties we fuggefted, and which, if we had not, would doubtlefs have fuggefted themselves to every reader who might know any thing of the matter.It must certainly be a very nice inftrument, and fubject to more irregularities than the experimentalift may poffibly be aware of, which can ferve to the conftruction of the following table, of the compreffion of fluids:

Millionth Parts.

Compreffion of Spirit of Wine 66

Oil of Olives 48

Rain-water 46
Sea-water
Mercury

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40

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3

Specific Gravity.

846

918

1000

1028

13595.

Mr. Canton determines thefe fluids, alfo, not only to be compreffible but elastic.No doubt of it; compreffibility and elafticity are natural concomitants.-We have many objections therefore to make to Mr. Canton's fuppofition, that the compreffibility of fluids does not arife from the elasticity the fluids may contain. It was once thought that the Florentine experiment, regarding the incompreffibility of water, was conclufive: Mr. Canton, and others before him, have fhewn it was not fo; and we make no doubt, but fome time or other Mr. Canton's experiments will be as fully fhewn to be inconclufive as that of the Academy del Cimento. The taking off the weight of the atmosphere, though by the moft artificial means poffible, is, in our opinion, no proof that all the air is extracted from a fluid, whereby it might be rendered compreffible or elaftic to three parts out of a million of its bulk. Having never feen Mr. Canton's apparatus, however, we do not pretend to depreciate the merit of his difcoveries; and, as the news-papers inform us, the Royal Society have honoured him with their prize-medal on the occafion, we hope they are more important and fatisfactory to others than they, at prefent, appear to the Reviewers.

Art. 51. An Account of the Effects of Lightening on three Ships in the Eaft Indies. By Mr. Veicht.

This article may be dispatched in the fame manner as that numbered 42, above mentioned.

Art. 53. and 55. contain accounts of two remarkable meteors; both feen at Oxford; the one March 5, 1764, and the other April 23, 1764. By the Rev. Mr. John Swinton, B.D. F.R.S. Member of the Academy degli Apatifi at Florence, &c.

[To be continued.] Kn-ky Review

Review of Doctor Johnson's New Edition of Shakespearet In which the Ignorance, or Inattention, of that Editor is expofed, and the Poet defended from the Perfecution of his Commentators. By W. Kenrick. 8vo. 3s. Payne..

W

'HEN men, eminent for their abilities, or learning, engage on contested points of literature or fcience, perfons of inferior endowments will naturally look up to them, as to examples, for their imitation; they will study their arts of attack and defence; they will copy their manners; and if the difpute be liberally conducted, they will obferve how generously the MASTERS encounter,-fcorning every little mean advantage, and mutually difclaiming all perfonal enmity, or private malice-the love of TRUTH their principle, and Fame their only motive. With what fuperior skill do they wield the weapons of controverfy! with what elegance of deportment, what refinement of addrefs! equally difplaying the fcholar, the genius, and the gentleman!

On the contrary, when we fee, as too often we do fee, perfons of diftinguifhed abilities indecently attacking each other, forgetful not only of what they owe to the caufe of truth, but even the refpect due to their own rank in the republic of letters, -how much reafon have we to regret the illiberal difpute, and to be forry for fuch improper examples !-examples which the paffions of mankind will but too naturally excite them to follow-How much, rather, were it to be wifhed, that men of letters would learn to diffent from each other with urbanity, and to debate with fuch candid oppofition of fentiment, that every witness to the friendly conteft, fhould be ready to cry out with the poet,.

Ingenuas didiciffe fideliter artes

Emollit mores, nec finit effe feros!

The foregoing general reflection was excited by fome paffages in the rough attack which the Author of the critical performance now before us, hath made on a gentleman of established literary reputation. This Reviewer feems to be one of thofe violent af failants whofe aim is not merely to vanquish but even to exterminate his antagonist. With him, it is not enough that the editor of Shakespeare be proved to have mistaken his own powers and qualifications, when he undertook that arduous task, in which greater men than Dr. Johnfon have failed of fuccefs,but he muft alfo be expofed as a very pretender to all literature and fcience!-This is really outrageous! What must the im

See p. 54; where Mr. K. fays, it does not appear to him, that
Dr. J. is matter of any one fcience, or any one language.'
Hh

REV. c. 1765.

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