the focus of a great burning-glass, instantly grows redhot, then turns whitish, sparkles and flames, and immediately after melts; soon after this the greatest part of it flies off in sparks, which appear very bright, and, if caught upon paper, are found to be so many little globular bodies, all hollow like bomb-shells: the remainder runs into a bluish or purple glass; and this glass, exposed again to the same focus, on a piece of charcoal, takes up, from the vegetable fuel, the sulphur or inflammable principle it had lost, and becomes true iron again.

Upon the whole, the effects of a common, and those of a solar fire, on this body, concur to prove that it consists of vitriolic salt, a vitrifiable earth, and a peculiar bituminous matter, not found in any of the other metals.

When perfectly pure, it readily melts with gold and silver, and unites with them in fusion; but if it be impure, it separates itself, and forms a distinct regulus above the surface of the other. On being heated red-hot, it increases in bulk and in weight, but it returns to its former gravity and dimensions when cold.

In the great iron works, the ore, broken into small pieces, and mixed with lime or some other substance to promote its fusion, is thrown into the furnace, and baskets of charcoal or coke, in due proportion, are thrown in along with it. A part of the bottom of the furnace is filled with fuel only. This being kindled, the blast of the great bellows is directed on it, and soon raises the whole to a most intense heat; this melts the ore immediately above it, and the reduced metal drops down through the fuel and collects at the bottom. The rest sinks down to fill up the void left by the consumed fuel, and this, in its turn, comes next in the way of the bellows, and is also reduced. More ore and fuel are supplied above, and the operation goes on till the melted metal at the bottom, increasing in quantity, rises almost to the aperture of the blast; it is let out by piercing a hole in the side of the furnace, and then forms what are called pigs of cast-iron.

In summing up the various uses of iron, we will quote the words of Dr. Ure, who very truly observes: "It accommodates itself to all our wants, our desires, and even our caprices; it is equally serviceable to the arts, the sciences, to agriculture, and war; the same ore furnishes the sword, the ploughshare, the scythe, the pruning-hook, the needle, the graver, the spring of a watch or of a carriage, the chisel, the chain, the anchor, the compass, the

THE RUSSIAN, A SKETCH.

329

cannon, and the bomb. It is a medicine of much virtue, and the only metal friendly to the human frame."

To this let us add the astounding fact, that the total production of iron in Great Britain in one year is, as nearly as can be calculated, one million of tons!

1. Name some of the most remarkable properties of iron.

2. What effects are produced on iron when exposed to the focus of a great burning glass?

3. How is the ore melted in the great iron works?

4. What says Dr. Ure respecting this useful metal ?

On the whole, the Russian is a cheerful being. A happy volatility and a thoughtlessness peculiar to himself accompany him through life. The most penurious condition and the most toilsome labour leave him always some sensibility for the enjoyment of his existence. The former gives him no concern, as his circle of ideas seldom extends to the representation of a nobler and more refined state of being; and the latter he mitigates, by singing his country ballads and taking a drop of brandy.

The verge at which this excellent ground-colour in the national character gradually fades away, is the line of partition between the populace and the citizen.

The higher the classes of mankind, the less natural is their mirth. In the boxes of the opera and the brilliant circles, the countenances are here as little gloomy as in any capital of Europe; a convincing proof that content and satisfaction are not confined to the soil of politeness and wealth!

The cheerful disposition of the common Russians is chiefly manifested by singing. Every employment, even the most laborious, they alleviate by singing. Every amusement is by the same means heightened and improved. In Russia are heard the true and popular ditties, composed and set to music by the inferior classes of the populace, and sung in the very same manner, in every town and village of that vast empire. The national interest contained in the subjects of those ballads, their extremely simple, but melodious tunes, the musical dispositions, and generally well-informed organs of the Russians, produce a very agreeable and surprising effect.

It is, therefore, a customary recreation of the higher ranks at St. Petersburgh to take with them in the boat, on their parties of pleasure on the water, a band of expert singers. Their songs, on fine evenings, delight the ears of the solitary walkers on the quays, lulling them into sweet reveries, or awakening in them mild sensations, by their soft and plaintive tones.

1. Describe the characteristics of a Russian.

2. In what classes of mankind is mirth least natural ?

3 How do the common Russians chiefly manifest their cheerful disposition?

4. What is said of their mode of singing, and the effect produced by their simple melodies?

LESSON CCXXXI.-AUGUST THE NINETEENTH.
The Royal George.

On this day, in 1782, the Royal George man-of-war sunk off Spithead, when its whole crew, consisting of 800 souls, with the unfortunate Admiral Kempenfeldt, perished.

"Toll for the brave!

The brave that are no more,
All sunk beneath the wave
Fast by their native shore.

"Eight hundred of the brave,

Whose courage well was tried,
Had made the vessel heel,
And laid her on her side.

"A land breeze shook the shrouds,
And she was overset;

Down went the Royal George
With all her crew complete.

"Toll for the brave!

Brave Kempenfeldt is gone;
His last sea fight is fought,
His work of glory done.

"It was not in the battle;

No tempest gave the shock:

She sprang no fatal leak;
She ran upon no rock.

"His sword was in his sheath,
His fingers held the pen,
When Kempenfeldt went down
With twice four hundred men.

THE NEW DIVING APPARATUS.

"Weigh the vessel up,

Once dreaded by our foes;
And mingle with our cup

The tear that England owes.
"Her timbers yet are sound,
And she may float again,

Full charged with English thunder,
And plough the distant main.

"But Kempenfeldt is gone;

His victories are o'er ;

And he and his eight hundred

Shall plough the wave no more."- COWPER.

LESSON CCXXXII.

-AUGUST THE TWENTIETH.

The New Diving Apparatus.

331

WITHIN these few years an ingenious diving apparatus has been invented by Mr. Deane, and successfully employed on many occasions. It has very lately, in fact, been in use for the purpose of enabling the divers to recover the guns, &c., belonging to the wreck of the Royal George, at Spithead, the melancholy loss of which fine ship the preceding Lesson records.

In this apparatus the head of the diver is covered by a helmet of thin sheet copper, large enough to admit of the easy motion of the head, and capable of containing from six to eight gallons of air. The helmet comes pretty far down on the breast and back, and has in front three eye holes, covered with glass, protected by brass wires. The copper helmet is attached to a waterproof canvas jacket by means of rivets, so tightly fixed that no water can be introduced to the body of the diver. The junction of the helmet and jacket is stuffed, so that it may clasp the shoulders of the diver firmly. A leather belt passes round the neck, to which are attached two weights, one before and the other behind, each weighing about 40 lbs., in order that the diver may descend with facility; but in case of any accident occurring when he is at the bottom, the belt is fastened with a buckle in front, which he can instantly unfasten, and rise to the surface after the dropping of the weights. The diver is supported with fresh air by means of a flexible waterproof pipe, which enters the back of the helmet, and communicates with an air-pump, wrought above in the vessel from which the diver descends. From the back part of the helmet there is likewise led an eduction pipe, to allow the escape of the breathed air. In order that the diver may give notice to the attendants at

the top, when he requires a hook, tackle, bucket, or any difference in the supply of fresh air, he is furnished with a signal line which passes under his right arm.

The diver descends from the side of the vessel, either by means of a rope or wooden ladder loaded at the lower end (but more frequently by the former). When he descends to the bottom, the rope is let down, so that it becomes slack, to prevent the motion of the vessel from obstructing him, and he carries a line in his hand, that he may, when necessary, return to the rope.

In order that the diver may be as comfortable as possible under water, he puts on two suits of flannel, above which he has a complete dress of Mackintosh's waterproof cloth, which entirely covers his body, the only apertures being at the neck and wrists. The diver is thus enabled to remain several hours at a time under water, all the while perfectly dry, his motion being rendered quite steady by heavy weights attached to his shoes.

The following account describes the method adopted by Colonel Pasley, the engineer employed in removing the wreck of the Royal George:-On Monday, Sept. 23, 1839, a cylinder, containing 2320 lbs. of powder, having been lowered, was placed in a situation which the divers supposed would be effectual on the most compact portions of the wreck. The operation being completed, the vessel in which the voltaic battery was placed, was drawn off to the distance of 500 feet, which is the length of the connecting wires, and instantaneously on the circuit being completed the explosion took place, with very remarkable effects. At first the surface of the sea was violently agitated by a sort of tremulous motion, which threw it into small irregular waves, a few inches only in height. This lasted three or four seconds, when a huge dome of water made its appearance, of a conical or rather beehive shape. At first it appeared to rise slowly, but rapidly increased in height and size till it reached the altitude of 28 or 30 feet, in a tolerably compact mass: it then fell down, and produced a series of rings, which spread in all directions; the first, or outer one, having the aspect of a wave several feet in height, curled and broke as if it had been driven towards the shore.

Neither the shock nor the sound was so great as had been expected by those who witnessed the former explosions, where the quantity of powder was only 45 ĺb. ; but the effect produced on the water at the surface, considering that the depth was 90 feet, was truly astonishing. By this experiment, Colonel Pasley has established the