is the receipt for making it: Take sixteen ounces of virgin platina, seven of copper, and one of zinc, all of equal purity, put them in a crucible, cover them with powdered charcoal, and subject them to a fire until melted into one mass.

FESTIVAL IN HONOUR OF SCHILLER.--The anniversary of Schiller's death has been celebrated at Stuttgart, in Germany, with great ceremony, and an immense concourse of people. The bust of Schiller was brought out and placed in a public garden, in the midst of the assembly, and hymns and odes were sung. The magistrates of Marbach, the native town of the poet, attended on this occasion in their official capacity, and among the multitude assembled to do honour to his memory were several friends of his early youth. A subscription was set on foot for the erection of a monument, and filled immediately.

LANGUAGES OF THE WORLD.- According to the enumeration of Professor Adelung, there are in the world 3064 different ianguages, of which 587 are spoken in Europe, 937 in Asia, 276 in Africa, and 1264 in America. The Professor probably includes in this enumeration many provincial corruptions of the same general languages.

SWEDISH PRISONS.--Commissioners have been appointed by the king of Sweden, to inquire into the arrangement and discipline of the prisons in the kingdom, and to suggest plans for their improvement. They have proposed to divide the prisons into classes, and have recommended to his majesty the erection of a state penitentiary.

It has

SCHOOLS IN GREECE.--At Argos is established a general school of mutual instruction, to which young men are sent from all the Greek provinces, for the purpose of learning the method, and diffusing its benefits among all their countrymen. now about two hundred scholars--some of these are young ladies, who receive their lessons separately. At Athens are two central schools of mutual instruction, and two grammar schools, of which one has received the name of Lyceum. In this latter are taught, 1st. The ancient Greek language compared with the modern. 2d. The Italian language. 3d. The elements of geography, of arithmetic, of geometry, of logic and metaphysics. In the island of Tino is a central school of mutual instruction, and a lyceum. In the island of Andros are three schools of mutual instruction, and two grammar schools. Syphaos has also a grammar school, into which it is intended to introduce the system of mutual instruction as soon as a master can be procured. In Patmos there existed before the late revolution a flourishing school, in which were taught with great success the ancient Greek tongue, the philosophy of Aristotle, rhetoric and poetry. This school still exists, though in less reputation than formerly, on account of circumstances connected with the tate troubles. In the same island is a library particularly rich in manuscripts, and a school of mutual instruction. In the Cyclades and the Sporades are from one to three schools in each island, according to its extent. In these are taught ancient Greek and the elements of philosophy, and in some the French and Italian languages. Tripolitza, St. John, (Astros) and St. Petros, a village near Astros, and Missolunghi, have each a school of mutual instruction and a grammar school. The grammar school at St. John has a good library and philosophical instruments. In the province of Karitene are four grammar schools. Many of these schools are kept in the Turkish mosques, and some, for want of convenient buildings, under the shade of trees. The interests of instruction, however, suffer very much from the scarcity of spelling books; slates and writing materials are so expensive and difficult to obtain, that in most private schools in the small villages, the scholars are only taught to read.

IMPROVISATION.-Paris has at length produced a rival of Querno and Corinna. Mons. Pradel continues to astonish the inhabitants of that city by the facility with which he produces extempore poems on any given subject. On one occasion Christopher Columbus in chains, was prescribed to him as the subject of his verses, and the following lines are given as a part of his poem:

Miserable jouet de la faveur des grands,
Je gemis je languis dans une nuit profonde
Je meurs, helas! victime des tyrans,
Et je viens d'agrandir le monde.

At another time he concluded a poem on Spartiates, the only survivor of the three hundred who fought with Leonidas, with this quatrain :

Quel climat, quel pays m'offriront leurs asyles?
Victime du plus triste sort,
Quand je dirai j'etais aux Thermopyles
Chacun me repondra: Pourquoi n'es tu pas mort?

On the 28th of August M. Pradel delivered an improvisation for the benefit of the sufferers at the late fire at Salins. The audience were consulted respecting the subject of his verses, and several were proposed, among which the Death of Byron, and the Conflagration of Salins, were adopted by acclamation, and were treated by the poet in a manner that showed the admirable readiness of his talent. Some happy verses, it is said, called forth loud applauses.

MAGNETIC EQUATOR. A French paper mentions, that Capt. Duperrey, of the Coquille sloop of war, which sailed from Soulon on a voyage of discovery, in August, 1822, and returned to Marseilles in April last, has made many interesting magnetic observations in his voyage. "Every body knows that there are, on the surface of the globe, a number of spots where the compass ceases to point; and that a line drawn through those spots is called the magnetic equator. This equator must not be confounded with the terrestrial equator, round which it winds, sometimes passing to the north of it, and sometimes to the south, to a greater or less extent. In the course of his voyage, Duperrey crossed the magnetic equator six times; and the result of his observations renders it extremely probable, that the whole line is moving in a parallel direction from east to west, with such rapidity, that since the year 1780, when its place was ascertained by scientific men in a very satisfactory manner, it has advanced no less than ten degrees towards the west."

MISS EDGEWORTH. This lady has lately given the world a work, entitled, Harry and Lucy concluded, being the last part of Early Lessons. It is the continuation of a work begun above half a century ago by her father. It is intended for young people from the age of ten to that of fourteen, and embraces a review of many sciences, and in particular of the mechanic arts, and of manufactures, which have arrived at so high a perfection in England. It has been translated into French immediately on its appearance, and both the British and French journalists speak of it in terms of the highest praise.

BLUNT'S HISTORICAL SKETCH. We had prepared for the review department of this number, a notice of Mr. Blunt's work, entitled, "A Historical Sketch of the formation of the Confederacy, particularly with reference to the Provincial limits, and the jurisdiction of the General Government over Indian tribes, and the public territory;" published by the Messrs. Carvill, of this city. The length of the articles entitled to precedence, has excluded our remarks on this work, from the present number. The research and patient labour manifested by the author, on a subject which is now peculiarly important, and which must soon engage the attention of our national legislature, entitle him to the thanks of the community. He has not only made a faithful compilation of the particulars to be gathered from an investigation of the antiquities of our colonial settlements, but has brought forward some facts, in relation to treaties of more recent date, which have hitherto been but partially known, even by statesmen. We regret, that the reason we have assigned above, permits us only to refer our readers to the work itself, as throwing much historical light on ques, tions which have recently involved much loose speculation.

RAY'S ADDRESS. We must plead the same excuse for being obliged to express, in such brief terms, the pleasure we have received from a perusal of this address, delivered before the American Academy of the Fine Arts, in this city. It exhibits, in its mechanical execution, gratifying evidence of the improvement of the typographical art, and is a beautiful specimen of what can be done here, in the way of fine printing. The engraving which accompanies it is creditable to the artist, though we cannot, in conscience, say, that the drawing, or the outlines of the figure, would give a just idea of the Apollo Belvidere, to one who had never seen the statue, or its plaster copy.— It is highly refreshing to find those who have the ability, not only from intellectual propensities, but from favourable circumstances, to foster and assist the developement of native talent in those departments, which, being least practical, require most encouragement, taking an active part in the work. If the accomplished author of this address be, as we believe he is, a novus hospes in the domain of literature, we bid him welcome with sincerity and joy.

LAWRENCE'S ADDRESS. A second edition of the Address of Mr. Lawrence, delivered at the opening of the eleventh exhibition of the American Academy of the Fine Arts, on the 10th of May last, is nearly ready for publication, by Messrs. G. & C. Carvill, of this city. We have seen part of the impression; it is elegantly printed, and its value is still farther increased by the notes with which the learning of the author has illustrated the text.

Since the article on Mr. Verplanck's book was written for the present number, we understand, that the property of the work has been transferred to Messrs. G. & C. Carvill, by whom it is now published.

ART. XIII.-Memoirs of the Life of the Right Honourable Richard Brinsley Sheridan. By THOMAS MOORE. Philadelphia: H. C. Carey & I. Lea. 1825.

THE friends of Sheridan's memory could not have wished that the task of writing his life should be undertaken by one more competent, or more kindly disposed towards his reputation, than Mr. Moore. A native of the same unfortunate country, holding similar political opinions, and possessing a kindred warmth of feeling and brilliancy of wit, he was well qualified to appreciate what ever was excellent in the genius and character of that extraordinary man, at the same time that these circumstances would incline him to touch lightly and tenderly upon his follies and infirmities. Mr. Moore had become acquainted with Sheridan towards the close of his life, and was one of the few who ministered to the necessities of his last moments, when the train of noble and titled friends, who had courted his intimacy in the days of his health and mental vigour, and who afterwards came in crowds to sport their ribands at his funeral, had abandoned him. Nothing can show in a stronger light how sadly power and high place harden the heart, than the fact, that the man who owed him most, the present king, then the prince regent, of Great Britain, neglected wholly his unfortunate friend in the hour when he stood most in need of his friendship. Sheridan had been one of the most devoted of his servants; his most intimate, faithful, and secret counsellor; he had deemed no sacrifice, not even that of his political character, too great for his service. Yet it was left for plebeian kindness and generosity, to drive away the bailiff from his death-bed, and to provide for his last wants. It was not fitting that the revelries of Carlton House should be interrupted, because the man whose wit was once the charm of its festivities, was dying in desertion and poverty. A huVOL. II.

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