of the Rev. J. Taylor, reviewed, 854 of the Rev. Dan Taylor, do... 952 of John Ray, the Botanist, 1161 of Wm. Scoresby, Jun. Esq... 1229 Mental Calculator, by Lovekin, reviewed, 289 Metropolitan School of Poets, ... 970, 1068 Mexican Revolution, Memoirs of, review- Poems by J. Jones, reviewed, ...... 859 Poetry, 87, 161, 236, 253, 355, 442, 554, 612, 650, 705, 806, 905, 1025, 1098, 1219 Poets, Metropolitan School of, 970, 1068 Poles, Approximation towards the, Politeness, Essay on, reviewed, Queries proposed, 100, 197, 372, 373, Queries replied to, 77, 167, 170, 266, 348, 350, 351, 373, 414, 451, 462, 464, 477, 603, 632, 710, 828, 844, Religion, Importance of early, reviewed, 575 Remarks on Passages of Scripture, 375 Sea-bathing, on the Utility of, reviewed, 571 | Treffry, Mr. Thomas, Death of,........ 553 895 Sonnets of the Rev. W. Lisle Bowles, 727 South Sea Missionary Intelligence, 731, 1125 ... 49 992 175 993 Steeple of St. Michael's Church, ...... 155 Stonehenge, Particulars respecting, 787 Strictures on Mr. Evans's Sketch, &c... 60 on Mr. M'Millan's Pamphlet,. 643 Study and Learning, Replies to a Query 775 1141 352 598, 993 1118, 1122, 1124 Z. Theft, Observations on, by Homo, Tic Doloreaux, by Hutchinson, reviewed, 182 279 5. Alexander Dherma Rama, formerly a High Priest of Boodhu, ..... 6. Wm. Scoresby, Jun. Esq. 1229 7. Adam Sireh-goona Munhi Rathana, formerly a High Priest of Boodhu,.. 9. Alexander Tilloch, LL. D. &c. .. 13. John Ray, the Botanist, 1161 THE ever varying seasons bring with them new and interesting scenes in nature; but from not having these appearances pointed out to us, many of them pass by unnoticed, and many are misunderstood. A calendar of nature is intended to supply these deficiencies, and, by enlarging our mental views, to lead us through nature up to nature's God. But these scenes and occurrences differ in different regions, and in some instances in those which are not very remote from each other: it is necessary, therefore, to remark, that we confine ourselves to our native island, in which the following observations, to be continued regularly through the different months of the year, have been chiefly drawn from a careful observation of nature itself. January, in all northern latitudes, may be considered as the chief winter month the weather, which has been of a very fluctuating description before, now setting in with rigour. This, however, is not always very considerable; it consists sometimes of snow and frost, and sometimes of hail, or floods of rain. It is well known, that the atmosphere always contains a very considerable portion of moisture; and, what appears very much of the nature of a paradox, it is frequently the case that there is more in dry weather than in wet; but the difference of these states, consists rather in the manner in which the moisture exists, than in its quantity. In dry weather it is in a state of solution, like salt in water; in wet weather, in a state of mere mix ture, and consequently visible. Rain usually comes in this country with winds between S. E. and N.W.; and as these are of very frequent occurrence, it follows, that in England we No. 23.-VOL. III. [1821. are not often led to complain of drought. The different changes which take place in the air, are caused by altera tions in its electric state. When well charged with the electric fluid, the air dissolves, and holds much moisture; but having received as much as it is capable of containing, as some other body in nature must in the same proportion be reduced below its proper standard, a transfer takes place; and that moisture which was before invisible, appears in the form of a cloud, which swims at a higher or lower elevation, according to its gravity, as compared with that of the atmosphere in which it floats. When high it is a cloud, when low it is denominated a mist. But a cloud may have sufficient electricity to suspend it in the air for a long time, though the air is not capable of dissolving it; when this quantity also is parted with, the aqueous particles, left to obey their own attractions, assume the figure of globular drops, and fall by their own gravity to the earth, carrying with them nearly all that electric fluid which the atmosphere received from the earth during the dry weather of summer. Hail is nothing more than globules of frozen rain; but certain circumstances, not yet well ascertained, are necessary to its production. Hail, at least in the western counties, comes with winds between N. W. and W., and sometimes from the S. W. When the wind has been at north, we have seen a dense cloud rise in the S. W. with a rapid and violently whirling motion; and when it has reached the zenith, and covered half the horizon, a violent rushing noise has been heard for about a quarter of a minute before the descent of the hail. Whirling clouds often bring hail; and it most generally happens that a brisk squall attends it, even when the air before has been very still. It appears, that the fluid drops form at a considerable degree of elevation, and in their descent meet with a counter current of B cold air, which congeals them before they reach the ground. Hail is sometimes found of very large size; in this case the globules are formed of many smaller ones united together, which causes them usually to be of very irregular figures. 12 The expansion of water in freezing, may be ascribed to two causes; first, to the disengagement of numerous bubbles of air, which were before in a state of solution in the fluid, or at least of intimate union with it;-but principally to the solid crystals assum numerous interstices are left in the From what has been said of raining an angular arrangement, by which and hail, the nature of snow may be pretty well understood. It consists of frozen particles of moisture, that were congealed before they had time to form into drops; and consequently one of these two circumstances is necessary to its existence; it must have formed near the ground, or if at a considerable height, the air near the carth must be at such a low temperature, that the flakes may not be dissolved in their descent: when this is the case, it forms sleet. If hail is seen when the under current of air is warm, it is to be accounted for from the swiftness of its fall. In this country, snow appears of two sorts large flakes, consisting of particles that before they were fully congealed have caused other particles to adhere to them, and therefore indicate a less severe degree of cold; the other is a fine and dusty snow, which is seen chiefly in more northern regions, but of which the heavy snow that covered all England in Jan. 1814, consisted. Frost consists of water deprived of a large portion of its heat, by which it becomes crystallized; for it must be observed, that water does not simply become solid by freezing, but its particles assume a regular form, as different kinds of salts when deposited by water or the fluids in which they have been dissolved, are found to do, and from the same cause. It is a general law of nature, that bodies in a Яluid state become more concentrated as they grow colder; but an exception to this, calculated to be of the utmost service in the economy of divine providence, occurs in the instance of water, which, when cooling, contracts indeed like other bodies, but when it reaches the freezing point, or 32°, it expands with irresistible violence, and becomes solid. It is, however, possible to cool water below 32° without its freezing; but when placed in circumstances that allow of its consolidation, it immediately rises to 32°, a sufficient proof that something beside the abstraction of heat is necessary to the formation of ice. ice, that render it of less specific gravity than water, and consequently cause it to swim on the surface; a circumstance, without which the inhabitants of the waters must speedily perish, for the rivers would soon become a body of ice. Whereas when a sheet of ice covers the surface, it protects what is below from the accession of cold, and consequently maintains its fluidity. Fishes, however, are not exempted from the sufferings of the season, though in a different way from land animals. Air is necessary to their existence, and water contains but a definite portion of it, which when deteriorated by having passed thro' their gills, the ice prevents from being renewed. Aware of this circumstance, the inhabitants of the northern regions make use of a stratagem to supply themselves with fish; they break a hole in the ice, and take with nets those of the finny tribe that crowd to the spot as to a place of safety. But if ice is capable of affording protection from great extremes of cold, snow does this in a much more effectual manner; for being a very bad conductor of heat, vegetables, and sometimes animals, are clothed by it as with a garment; and hence it was that plants which bore without injury the rigours of a Lapland climate, perished in the winter, when transplanted to the more southern latitude of Stockholm, solely from being without their usual covering of snow. It may be regarded as an established fact, that the coldness of a country is as the quantity of snow that falls in it; for in order to its liquefaction it absorbs so much matter of heat (caloric) as reduces surrounding bodies to its own standard, and thus proves the cause of long-continued frost. At this season, domestic cattle require the constant attention of the farmer, and thus are paid the wages of their toil in summer. Wild animals are driven hard between the extremes of hunger and fear. Hares enter gardens and plantations, and devour the 13 Envy and Candour, a Dialogue. bark of trees as high as they can reach; but are traced in the snow, and often fall a prey to those who follow the healthful exercise of shooting. They seem at this time to be sensible of the peculiar danger of leaving the tracks of their footsteps in the snow; for when about to enter their form, they are seen to leap about in various directions, in order to confound the marks, and at last with one great effort they spring from a distance at once into their retreat. 14 is mostly torpid; yet a few make their appearance, and gnats are found sporting in the sunbeams, when the ground is thickly covered with snow. How they live is hard to say, but they resist the stupifying effects of cold more completely than animals of a much larger size are found to do. How dead the vegetable kingdom lies! yet, having now the full enjoyment of air and light, this is the chief time for the vegetation of mosses; and even a few of Flora's higher orders shew their flowers, as the daisy, black hellebore, winter aconite, and furze; but they give pain rather than pleasure, when viewed in connection with whistling winds and icy skies. Severe frost is found to kill turnips in the field, and thus materially injure the property of the farmer. Towards the end of the month, the catkins of the hazel begin to appear in the hedges; and the buds of gooseberry bushes, which are beginning to swell, are often devoured by Bulfinches, which thus make great havock in gardens. These birds are sometimes so stuffed with this food, as to appear not to have room for a particle more. The Groundsel is very generally in flower, and is a favourite food with many birds, at a time when scarcely any thing beside is to be obtained by them. The woodcock tribe quits the woods, where, in mild weather, they found both food and safety; and betake themselves to the open springs that are near the sea coast; where they feed both by day and night, and fly chiefly in the morning and evening. Birds of the Thrush kind feel the severity of the season, and the Redwing in a very especial manner. This bird, though a native of a northern clime, and of a wild and timid nature, becomes more tame from cold and hunger, than those of its genus which reside with us, and numbers of them perish. The Redbreast and Wren almost cease their song. The former visits houses in the country, and is considered by the children as a friend whom at this severe season they are bound to feed and protect. Birds of the Finch tribe find it their interest to keep near farm-yards; and the domestic Sparrow, particularly, will share in the housewife's allowance to her poultry, in defiance of all her vigilance. Of all large birds, the Gull tribe seem to suffer the most severe privations; the trembling waves prevent their getting much supply from the sea shore, and the fry of fish, and water insects, have sought the shelter of deep water; they are therefore often seen following the plough in numbers, like a Envy. What do you think of this swarm of bees, where they are of Miss H that is come among us? great service to the husbandman, by Candour. I think her a very beautidevouring insects that are thus ex-ful, elegant, and accomplished young posed to light. In some instances it woman. has been known, that distress has driven them to devour such small birds as they have been able to over come. Herrings are at this season taken in vast quantities; but not in such numbers in the west, as on the shores of the more eastern counties; those of the west are however esteemed as the larger and better fish, and sell at a much higher price. The insect tribe Come into flower this month: Common Groundsel, Senecio VulgarisDaisy, Bellis perennis-Furze, Ulex Europæus.-Catkins of the Hazel appear. ENVY AND CANDOUR,-A DIALOGUE Envy. That I am convinced is precisely her own opinion. Candour. I am at a loss to know, how you came to be convinced, from her manner of conversation, that she thinks so highly of herself. Envy. O, it is quite evident, the men have turn'd the girl's head; they tell every woman, as you know very well, my dear, that she is elegant, beautiful, and accomplished. |