tertained such fears.-The resources of real genius we believe to be inexhaustible; and if any kind of writing affords an unlimited variety of subjects, it is that in which Miss Edgeworth so eminently excels. The endless diversity of human life and manners, will always save from the danger of tiresome uniformity the writer who can observe them with accuracy, and delineate them with effect.

Of the two tales with which she has recently favoured the public, the merits and the faults are diametrically opposite. In the one we have a well devised story, the interest of which is sustained to the conclusion-but have comparatively little variety of character: in the other, the story is less ably digested, while the exhibition of character is more ample and masterly. The one is a fancy-piece, in which the powers of the artist are evidently exerted to impart to her figures a magnitude and colouring beyond the reality of life-the other is a study from nature, in which the portraiture is in general correct, but in which the pencilling is perhaps too minute, and some things are brought forward to view, which might have been more discreetly thrown into shade.

The motive which induced Miss Edgeworth to write the tale of Harrington, does honour to her candour and humanity. She had received a letter from an American Jewess, complaining of the illiberality with which the Jewish nation had been treated in some of her former works; and feeling that the censure was merited, she adopted this public method of doing them justice. The prejudices which are still cherished, we fear, to a great extent against that unhappy race, may be regarded as the greatest reproach on the liberality of this enlightened age. A people, so long the special objects of the Divine dispensations, with whose history our earliest and most sacred associations are interwoven, on whose religion our own was ingrafted, whose country was the scene of all its most interesting events, and who, even in their dispersion, afford the most striking illustration of that superintending Providence by which they are to be finally restored-might well be regarded with a degree of veneration did they not occur to our memories as the obstinate and merciless persecutors of Christ and of Christians, rather than

as the once favoured and peculiar peo ple of God. Nor is it to be denied, that the violent persecutions to which throughout Christendom they have been exposed in their turn, the disabi lities under which they labour, and their complete separation from the rest of the community, have kept alive their spirit of hostility to the professors of the Christian faith, and engendered habits which may warrant, in some measure, the opinion generally entertained of their character. Were the representation given of them by Miss Edgeworth to obtain general credit, that opinion would speedily be changed. We regret, for the sake of this oppressed and injured people, that her zeal has in this case rather outrun her judgment; and that, by representing all her Jewish characters as too uniformly perfect, she has thrown a degree of suspicion over her whole de fence.

But it is time to give our readers some account of the tale. The hero of it, Harrington, had been frightened at a very early age into a horror of the Jews, by the dreadful stories told of them by his nursery-maid, who em ployed their name as a bugbear to reduce him to obedience, whenever he was inclined to be refractory. His aver, sion to them was afterwards increased by many incidental circumstances, and in particular, by the prejudices of his father, who, in his capacity of Member of Parliament, had taken a decided part against the famous bill for the naturalization of the Jews. not till the sixth year after he had been at school, that an incident occurred which led him to regard the Jews with less dread, and was the commencement of that intimate acquaintance with some individuals of that race, which gradually converted his antipathy against them into respect and affection. We shall relate the incident in his own words.

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Schoolboys, as well as men, can find or make a party question, and quarrel out of any thing, or out of nothing. There was a Scotch pedlar, who used to come every Thursday evening to our school to supply our various wants and fancies. The Scotch pedlar died, and two candidates offered to supply his place an English lad of the name of Dutton, and a Jew boy of the name of Jacob.Dutton was son to a man who had lived as butler in Mowbray's family. Lord Mowbray (with whom Harrington had been brought up from their childhood) knew the boy to be a rogue, but thought he was

him speak when he was too hot, and confess the truth. Jacob was resolutely silent. He stood it till I could stand it no longer. I would not use a dog so,' said I. A dog! no, nor I; but this is a Jew!'-' A fellow creature,' said I. A fine discovery! and pray, Harrington, what has made you so tender-hearted all of a sudden for the Jews? Your being so hard-hearted,' said I." [A pitched battle took place between Harrington and Mowbray.] "He was far my overmatch in strength and size; but I stood up to him. Between the blows I heard Jacob's voice, in tones of supplica

tion. When I had breath, I called out to him- Jacob! escape!" But instead of escaping, he stood stock still, reiterating his prayer to be heard: at last he rushed between us-we paused-both parties called to us, insisting that we should hear what the Jew had to say. Young lord,' said he; dear young gentleman,' turning to me, let poor Jacob be no more cause, now or ever, of quarrel between you. He shall

trouble you never more. This is the last day, the last minute, he will ever trouble you.' His voice failed: he bowed. Look ing round to all, twice to the upper circle where his friends stood, he added, Much obliged-for all kindness-grateful. Blessings -blessings on all and may'-He could say no more, but, hastily taking up his box, he retired through the opening

crowd."

Had Miss Edgeworth never written any thing but this tale, the passage which we have quoted at such length (though we have been obliged to abridge it considerably) would have given us a very high idea of her powers of delineating character, and of pathetic description.

Harrington, on his way to Cambridge, fell in with his Jewish protegé, on whom his kindness had not been lost. Jacob, eager at once to do him a service, and to remove the prejudices which he knew him to entertain against his nation, gave him an introduction to Mr Israel Lyons, a Jewish rabbi, who united the qualities of a profound scholar and an accomplished gentleman-and whose friendship was of essential benefit to Harrington, as he imbued his mind with a taste for literature, while he expanded it with the most liberal sentiments. On leaving the university, he received from Mr Lyons a letter of introduction to Mr Montenero, a Spanish Jew of great wealth, who had been induced by his horror of tyranny and persecution to quit his native country, and to settle

in America, where he had enjoyed perfect toleration. Harrington was prevented for some time from waiting on Mr Montenero, who happened to be then in London; and at length his mother, apprised of his intention to cultivate the acquaintance of a Jew, to his great mortification, burnt the letter of introduction, which, by some accident, had fallen into her hands. Chance soon brought them acquainted, however, in a manner infinitely more gratifying to the feelings of Harrington. He had accompanied his mother and the Mowbrays one evening to the theatre, where his attention was caught by a very elegant young lady, who was seated in the next box, among a group of gross plebeians, composing the family of an alderman, in their manners and appearance exhibiting a very striking contrast to the stranger in their company. His interest was still more excited by the bustle and exclamations of this ill-bred family, when it was announced to the audience, that, in consequence of the sudden illness of the principal actor, the play was to be changed, and the Merchant of Venice to be substituted in its stead. The character of Shylock, performed by Macklin, so overpowered the interesting stranger, that she was ready to faint. Harrington springs forward to her assistance gets her conducted to the air-and discovers, to his great delight, that this is no other than Miss Montenero. The rest may be easily conceived. Mr Montenero receives Harrington with kindness-esteems-loves him. Harring ton becomes deeply enamoured of Berenice (that was the daughter's name); and after many causes of vexation and doubt, occasioned chiefly by the unprincipled rivalship of Mowbray, who contrived to impress Mr Montenero and Berenice with the idea tha Harrington was subject to fits of madness, the scruples of his father and mother are overcome, and he is blessed with the hand of Berenice, who turns out to be a Christian and a Protestant, educated in the religion of her mother, who was an English lady.—We regret that our narrow limits oblige us to postpone our further remarks on this interesting Tale, and the abstract of the Story of Ormond, till next Number.

AT the suggestion of Mr Hoblyn of Sloane Street, a quantity of cocoa-nut oil has recently been introduced into this country from the Island of Ceylon. It has been ascertained, that this oil may be very advantageously employed as a substitute for spermaceti oil, as it is considerably cheaper, burns with a clear bright flame, and is free from smell or smoke. It will be found useful also in the manufacture of soap, candles, and the finer articles of perfumery, and is likely to become a source of great revenue in Ceylon, and of importance to this country. Soap made with it costs about 10 per cent. more than tallow soap.

The Royal Medical Society of Edinburgh have proposed, as the subject of a prizeessay, for members only, the following question: What changes are produced on atmospheric air by the action of the skin of the living human body?

Dr D. White of Bombay having transmitted a packet, containing the seeds of some scarce and valuable plants, to the Caledonian Horticultural Society, the thanks of the Society were voted to him at a general meeting on the 10th of June.

A stone, adapted to the purposes of lithography, has been lately discovered in East Lothian, on the property of the Right Hon. the Earl of Wemyss and March. Various successful experiments have already been made with it by Mr Ruthven, the ingenious inventor of the patent printing-press, which has excited such general attention.

Mr George Sinclair, gardener to the Duke of Bedford at Woburn Abbey, states, that the larvæ of the phalena tortrices, or grubs, are often the cause of blight in fruit trees. Two orchards at Woburn were annually more or less subject to the ravages of these insects, till the following expedient was adopted. Immediately after the fall of the leaves, a waggon load of lime was placed in the orchard, and suffered to slake by the weather. Advantage was then taken of the morning dews, to powder every part of the surface of the trees with the lime, while in its most caustic state. This process has been annually repeated, with such success, that since its first adoption, there has been but one partial attack of the insects; and this is attributed to the lime used that season having lost much of its causticity before it was applied, and to a heavy fall of rain immediately after the liming. It is essential that the algae be removed from the trees previously to the application of the lime, as they not only do injury by closing the pores of the bark, but also form the principal nests where the eggs of the insects are deposited during winter. When these parasitical plants are once displaced, they never recover

themselves, if the liming be annually repeated. Seventy bushels of lime, properly ap plied, will be sufficient for an orchard of five acres, completely stocked with full grown trees.

The President and Council of the Royal Society of London have adjudged the gold and silver medals, on Count Rumford's foundation, to Sir H. Davy, for his papers on combustion and flame, published in the last volume of the Philosophical Transactions.

The Committee of the House of Commons appointed to investigate the important subject of Steam Boats and Boilers, state in their Report, that they find it to be the universal opinion of all persons conversant in such subjects, that steam engines of some construction may be applied with perfect security, even to passage vessels; and they generally agree, though with some exceptions, that those called high pressure engines may be safely used, with the precaution of well-constructed boilers, and properly adapted safety valves; and further, a great majority of opinions lean to boilers of wrought-iron, or metal, in preference to cast-iron. They have, in consequence, adopted the following resolutions, which they propose to the consideration of the House :

1. That it appears, from the evidence of several experienced engineers, that the explosion in the steam packet at Norwich, was caused not only by the improper construction and materials of the boiler, but the safety valve connected with it having been overloaded, by which the expansive force of the steam was raised to a degree of pressure beyond that which the boiler was calculated to sustain.

2. That it appears, that in the instances of similar explosions in steam packets, manufactories, and other works where steam engines were employed, these accidents were attributable to one or other of the causes above alluded to.

3. That it is the opinion of this Committee, that, for the prevention of such accidents in future, the means are simple and easy, and not likely to be attended with any inconveniences to the proprietors of steam packets, nor with any such additional expense as can either be injurious to the own ers, or tend to prevent the increase of such establishments. The means which your Committee would recommend, are comprised in the following regulations ;—

That all steam packets carrying passengers for hire, should be registered at the port nearest to the place from or to which they proceed ::

That all boilers belonging to the engines. by which such vessels shall be worked, should be composed of wrought iron

copper:

That every boiler on board such steam packet, should, previous to the packet being used for the conveyance of passengers, be submitted to the inspection of a skilful engineer, or other person conversant with the subject, who should ascertain by trial the strength of such boiler, and should certify his opinion of its sufficient strength, and of the security with which it might be employed to the extent proposed:

That every such boiler should be provided with two sufficient safety valves, one of which should be inaccessible to the engine man, and the other accessible both to him and to the persons on board the packet:

That the inspector shall examine such safety valves, and shall certify what is the pressure at which such safety valves shall open, which pressure shall not exceed one third of that by which the boiler has been proved, nor one sixth of that, which, by calculation, it shall be reckoned able to sustain: That a penalty should be inflicted on any person placing additional weight on either of the safety valves.

Dr Husson has made the highly important remark, that the nur vomica is very benefical in paralysis which follows rheumatic affections, but he considers it as liable to occasional accidents, when the paralysis has succeeded an attack of apoplexy. This distinction ought to make medical men very cautious in the use of this powerful agent.

An animal hitherto unknown here to the European colonist, accompanied by two of its young, was found a fortnight ago at Cox's River, in the newly discovered country. From its general conformation, it may be pronounced a species of the Jerboa tribe. Its resemblance is about midway between that of the rabbit and the rat, the ears short and erect, like those of the former, the head longer, like that of the latter, as is also the tail, which is very long, but terminating with a thick fur; the weight of the animal, to all appearance, not exceeding eight or nine ounces. Sydney Gazette.

A curious phenomenon recently exhibited itself on board a vessel now in the Cove, to a party while at supper. On the opening of a rock oyster, the shells of which were forced asunder with much difficulty, a small fish of two inches length, which had been curled up in the place which the native inhabitant of the shell had before occupied, sprung out upon the table, and was pre

served alive for some time. Examined in a

glass of clear salt water, the little intruder, which had doubtless devoured its host, the oyster, had a beautiful appearance when alive. Its great pliancy when in motion, determines its species to be cartilaginous, while the back and belly, which were ornamented with a series of spines linked together by a transparent silken membrane, and its fine curling tail, displayed the richest beauties to the admiring eye. The crea

was itself almost entirely transparent,

when interposed between the eye and the sun, and the whole body marked with stripes of brown and yellow, disposed in regulat intervals; nor was the head its least curious part, from its being surmounted with a fine crest, resembling the unindented comb of a cock. Many persons have seen it, and all presume it to be a novel species.—Sydney Gazette.

Two instances of the extreme virulence and rapidity of animal poison, almost unprecedented in well authenticated narrative, are recorded in the Sydney Gazette, as recent information from the party at Bathurst plains.

The sudden death of John Wood, a private of the Royal Veteran Company, on duty at that post, was owing to the bite of a snake, which he survived only a few moments. The melancholy event took place on the 24th ultimo; the fatal wound was inflicted on the foot, and the deceased putting his hand upon it, had scarcely time to implore the blessing of God, when he fell upon his face, and instantly expired. Putrescence ensued with unexampled rapidity, and in a few hours the body of the deceased became entirely black.

The malign effects of the snake poison, has in two instances shewn itself more dire ful in the species found in the new discovered mountain country, than any other. We mentioned the melancholy circumstances of the instant death of the soldier at Bathurst, on his receiving the bite of one of them. A sheep belonging to Mr Lawson was also bit; it died immediately, and exhibited symp toms of putrescence in a few moments after. One of them was known to advance from beneath a rock to the centre of a road as a man was passing, with the apparent intention of attacking him. They are said to be generally from five to six, or seven feet long, are of a disagreeable dark colour, and have very large heads.

Mr Armiger is engaged in Researches, and in the Collection of Materials for an English work on Physiology, intended to supply an acknowledged deficiency in the elementary books of this country, to exhibit the present state of that important science, and the extent to which it is indebted to the investigation of British physiology.

Mr Sewell, assistant professor at the Ve terinary College, has discovered a mode of curing a chronic lameness, to which hunters, chargers, and other valuable horses, are lia ble after any considerable exertion. consists in dividing the nervous trunk, and extirpating a portion of it, where it enters the foot behind the pastern joint.

It

A paper, by Dr Leach of the British Museum, has been read to the Royal Society, containing some observations on a new genus of marine animals inhabiting the ar gonaut and nautilus shells. It was observed by Sir Joseph Banks, that the animal found in these shells is not the fabricator of them, but a parasite which has taken up its oc