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Literary Notices.-Commercial Report.

On the Sunday preceding the present anniversary, collections were made in several churches, which we understand were very liberal ;-that of St. Andrew's alone, exceeded £50.

Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Dublin. The Methodists of Dublin have lately erected an elegant and commodious chapel in that city. It is an oblong building, about 82 feet long, and 46 wide within the walls. The pulpit, desk, handrail, &c. are of oak, handsomely carved. The communion rail in front of the desk, is in the form of the letter D. The galleries are sup ported by Grecian fluted columns, and the chapel is calculated to contain about 1500 persons. It was opened on the morning of Sunday, June 3d. by the Rev. Adam Clarke, LL. D.; when, being greatly thronged, it was supposed that not less than 2000 were present. The collection on this occasion amounted to £140.

Literary Notices.

Shortly will be published, a Reprint of that very rare and curious little Manual, Arthur

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Warwick's "Spare Minutes," or Resolved
Meditations and Premeditated Resolutions,
with fact-similes of the singular emblematical
Frontispieces, and the explanatory Poems of
Francis Quarles and George Withers.

Just published, Poems, by Joseph Jones,
M. A. neatly printed in 12mo. price 5s. boards.
Contents.-I, Authorship-II, the Church-
III, Greatness-IV, Zeal-V, the Satirist-
VI, Content.

Prayers for every morning and evening in the week; designed for the use of children and young people, of the lower orders; to which are added some serious Songs, intended to promote the cause of piety, virtue, and humanity. By Joseph Jones, M. A. price 1s. 3d. neatly half bound.

from the Book of Common Prayer. By Joseph Prayers for the use of families, compiled Jones, M. A. 12mo. price 1s. neatly half bound,

or 9d. sewed.

Also, price, 8s. 6d. A New System of Cutting, &c. made familiar to any capacity; accompanied with four copper-plate Engravings. To which is added, a useful Sketch of the Stature Measurement of the Human Figure, whereby a person may be enabled to cut clothes for customers abroad, by having only the circumference of the breast and waist, and the height of the person, in inches. By John Killey.

No. 1, of a new publication from the Caxton Press, entitled the Queen Bee.

ERRATUM-Col. 371, line 11, for President read Resident.

COMMERCIAL REPORT, LIVERPOOL, JUNE 21, 1821. THERE has been a great stillness in commerce since our last, and there seems to be little prospect of the current year affording more profit to the mercantile world, than the one which preceded. There appears to be too great a production of most articles; yet, coupled with great competition at the place of growth, it keeps up the cost prices: but poverty amongst the consumers in Europe, occasions depression at the place of sale; whilst in this country, capitalists investing their money in the public funds, no inducement is offered for any speculation in goods. Our Government is certainly most anxious to assist commerce; and it is in contemplation to encourage the transit trade, and modify the duties on many articles, which at present bear very heavily on several branches, without being very productive. The duty on the lower descriptions of Wool, we think, falls under this character. It very little benefits the agriculturist; and, while it injures the manufacturer of coarse woollens, it has been the means of depriving us of the orders for this species of our manufacture from Germany and Russia.

The transactions of the month now past, may be comprised in a narrow compass.

In Cottons, the demands have been moderate, and prices may probably be rated a shade lower. Brazils are still dull and declining, and for East India cottons there is scarcely any inquiry. It must be observed, that the total import of Cottons this year, into this place, falls short upwards of 60,000 packages, in comparison with a similar period last year,-on which account the trade generally are looking for a revival ere long.

For British Plantation Šugars, the demand has somewhat revived, and prices have advanced 1s. per cwt. If the season should be favourable for Fruit, there is great probability of a brisk demand, with an improvement in value.

By accounts from Demerara, the Coffee crop (it is stated,) promises to be most abundant: prices here, vary little since our last, and the demand is far from being lively.

Foreign Spirits of every kind are greatly depressed, the sales are trivial, and the prices much below the rate of the lowest period during the last twenty years.

The Stock of Tobacco is diminishing fast, and the consumption of this article appears to have

sustained no check.

Dye-woods maintain their prices; and Naval stores have met with ready purchasers on arrival, in consequence of extensive orders having been received from London, for Spirits of Turpentine. Roany Tar, sells at 15s. per barrel; Archangel, at 16s. 1d.; Stockholm, 18s. per barrel. The importations of Hides continue on a large scale, nevertheless prices remain very firm. Oils of all kinds are dull; Tallow is lower.

Grain. On the last Market day, the attendance of the trade was very slender, and the continuance of fine weather has produced a great languor in both this and the adjacent country markets. The best qualities of Wheat are fully supported; but in lower qualities, as well as in other descriptions of grain, purchases are only made for the immediate wants of the consumer.

PRINTED BY H, FISHER, LIVERPOOL, PRINTER IN ORDINARY TO HIS MAJESTY.

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MONTHLY OBSERVATIONS.

With a Catalogue of all really British Plants, as they come into Flower.

AUGUST.

THIS is the most important month in the year to Britain. The warmth, and gentle showers of Summer, have brought the different species of corn to perfection; and man proceeds to reap the fruit of the bounty of his Maker.

The sight of the country at this period, is pleasing in a high degree; not, as it has been rightly observed, on account of its picturesque effect, but because it conveys the idea of fully employed industry, and the attainment of a blessing, about which hope and anxiety have been exercised. Fine weather is required at this season, and it is usually enjoyed; the air is calm, hot, and sultry, and the human body is more relaxed than even the temperature, as indicated by the thermometer, seems to account for; we may therefore suppose, that it proceeds from the air being surcharged with electric fluid. Accordingly, it is common for striking electrical phenomena to be displayed at this season; the atmosphere gathers a thick and heavy gloom; a pause seems to take place in the operations of nature, whilst a pitchy cloud, more dense and awful than the general mass with which it is surrounded, floats heavily along. At last, and to those engaged in labour, very unexpectedly, a tremendous flash is seen, followed by the most heart-appalling sound:"The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereththe voice of the Lord is powerful and full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars. The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness." The rain pours in and in a short time the rivers' channels, which just before were nearly dry, are unable to carry No. 30.-VOL. III.

torrents;

[1821.

off the floods, which swell over the banks, and carry all before them. Sometimes the effects are more awful still; the shock, in proceeding from the cloud to the earth, or from the earth to the cloud, proves fatal to the lives of men or animals, frequently with circumstances of curious interest. An electric cloud, thus highly charged, commonly traverses some part of a district every year, but within narrow bounds, and rarely in the same tract in two following years. The means of safety from a positive or charged cloud, are easily pointed out. The passenger should avoid taking refuge under any thing which is lofty, particularly if the summit be pointed; and he should be careful to keep moving. In a room, he should keep at a distance from metallic substances, more especially if they communicate with the external air; and in general, the safest place is in the middle of the room. A damp situation, in all cases, is to be selected; and perhaps, as an additional security, the feet might be placed in a vessel of water. Against the returning stroke, or shock given off from the earth to a negative or discharged cloud, the means of defence are not so easily obtained, though perhaps to people in the open air this is the most frequent source of danger. The most prudent plan would appear to be, to wear non-conductors about the feet, such as silk stockings; or the soles of the shoes might be charged with rosin. Any thing of iron on the soles of the shoes, as is now so much the custom, is productive of danger in these circumstances.

Hops, which are the female florescence of the Humulus lupulus, are gathered at this time; and in districts where they are cultivated, they afford busy employment to the poor. When twined about the pole, few vegetable productions exceed this plant in beauty, but the crop is very uncertain; at the beginning of the month, the Pilchard fishery commences on the shores of Cornwall. The Pilchard 2 X

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Monthly Observations.

much resembles the herring, but is somewhat smaller and much fatter. Being both gregarious and harmless, this fish is followed and persecuted by numerous species of voracious creatures, some of which visit the coast at no other period. Among these are the Grampus, and others of the Whale tribe, the blue and white Sharks, with other more common species, and several scarcely less greedy creatures of the genus Gadus. The pursuit of the Pilchard is also a chief cause of the arrival of the Doree; which, though apparently a slow moving fish, finds means of preying on those which are very swift. About this period, the Mackarel reaches the shores of the Orkney Islands, where it continues but a short time, and then returns to the Atlantic deeps.

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Galium religiosum; Sea Plantain, Plantago maritima; Fringed Buckbean, Menyanthes nymphæoides; Round-leaved Bellflower, Campanula rotundifolia; and three other species; Round-headed Rampion, Phyteuma orbiculare; Acrid Lobelia, L. urens; Touch-me-not, Impatiens noli me tangere; Large-flowered Mullein, Verbascum virgatum; Dwarf-branch'd Centaury, Chironia pulchella; Upright Goosefoot, Chenopodium urbicum; and six other species; Sea Beet, Beta maritima; Greater and Lesser Dodder, Cuscuta Europæa & Epithymum; Marsh Felwort, Swertia perennis; Marsh Gentian, Gentiana pneumonanthe; Small Alpine and Autumnal Geatian, G. nivalis & amarella; Mountain Stone Parsley, Athamanta libanotis; Meadow Sulphurwort, Peucedanum Silaus; Sea Samphire, Crithmum maritimum; Hedge Honewort, Sison amomum; Corn Honewort, S. segetum; Water Hemlock, Cicuta virosa; Wild Celery, Apium graveolens; Asparagus, A. officinalis: Fiddle Dock, Rumex pul cher; Scottish Asphodel, Tofiddia palustris; Small Water Plantain, Alisma ranunculoides; Small Waterwort, Elatine hydropiper; Yellow Marsh Saxifrage, Saxifraga hirculus; Soapwort, Saponaria officinalis; Sea Campion, Silene maritima; Orpine, Sedum telephium; Grasspoly, Lythrum hyssopifolium; Portland and Sea Spurge, Euphorbia Portlandica & paralia; Seven species of Mint, Mentha; Red Hemp Nettle, Galeopsis Ladanum; Marsh Woundwort, Stactys palustris; Wild Basil, Clinopodium vulgare; Lesser Calamint, Thymus nepeta; Lesser Skullcap, Scutellaria minor; Branched Broomrape, Orobanche ramosa; Daisy-leaved Ladies' Smock, Cardamine bellidifolia; Sea Stock, Cheiranthus sinuatus; Small

The Swift, the largest British bird of the genus Hirundo, disappears in the earlier part of August, sometimes even so soon as the first or second day; and it has been remarked, that this and others of its genus retire earliest in the warmest seasons. The music of the grove is by this time hushed; except, perhaps, that from the Redbreast and Wren, which birds having moulted their coats early, renew their notes somewhat before the other winged minstrels. Insects abound; and the progeny of those which appeared early in the year, help to swell the numbers which now crowd the air. The Dragon Fly makes its appearance. There are several species, but the chief and commonest is the Libellula grandis, a strong and rapid insect, which is indeed a dragon to the creatures it is able to overcome. They all feed on insects, frequenting watery places, where in their larva state their time is wholly spent; and when perfect, are not only bold and voracious, but are able to bear considerable blows without injury. Va-flowered Fumitory, Fumaria parvirious kinds of fruit come into season; and are both delicious and refreshing amidst the heat of the weather.

Come into flower in August:-Marsh and Shrubby Samphire, Salicornia herbacea & fruticosa; Grasslorack, Zostera marina; eight species of Rush, Schoenus scirpus, & Juncus genera; six species of Grass, Milium agrostis, Melica dactylis, Avena, & Rotbollia genera; Small Teasel, Dipsacus pilosus; Devil's-bit Scabious, Scabiosa succisa; Rough Marsh Bedstraw,

flora; Dwarf-Furze, Ulex nanus; Rough-podded Yellow Vetch, Vicia lutea; Corn Sow Thistle, Sonchus arvensis; Strong-scented and two other species of Lettuce, Lactuca; Alpine Hedypnois, H. Taraxici; Autumnal Hedypnois, H. autumnalis; Shaggy Alpine Hawkweed, Hiracium villosum, and three other species; Milk and woolly-headed Thistle, Carduus marianus & eriophorus; Trifid Bur Marygold, Bidens tripartita; Sea Cotton Weed, Santolina maritima;

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