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190

Author of Ezekiel... Mr. Houfman's Tear.

than I." And, on this occafion, the poet names himself (c. xxviii. v. 3.) Daniel. It is worthy of remark, that thefe poems minutely agree in charader with the later oracles afcribed to Ifaiah, and with the alvith to lift chapters of Jeremiah.

Thexxxvth,xxxviiith,and xxxixth chap

*Ifaiah flourished under Uzziah one year, under Jotham 16 years, under Ahaz 16 years, and under Hezekiah about 14 years; to which if we add 25 years, before which age he would fcarcely have affumed the prophetic of fice, we may fuppofe him to have lived about 72 years. Gf the many oracles afcribed to him, the first nine chapters allude to perfons of his own æra, and to events within his obfervation; they have the common character of the poetry of his country about that time; they are fuch as might be expected from the fon of the grazier at Tekoa, and may fafely be confidered as written by him.

With the tenth chapter of the work bearing his name, begins poetry of a much higher order, the production of a mind more refined by culture: the ideas take a more comprehenfive range: in geography, in hiftory, the poet is more learned: with Babylon and its vicinity, he feems familiar; with Cyrus, and every minute particular of the memorable fiege, he is correctly acquainted; in the arts of compofition he is an adept; his ftyle paces with the measured ftep of grace; his wide genius is equal to the boldest foar, and feems to forefeel the immortality to which it was born. Now it is certain, that the xvth and xvith chapters of these oracles, are not the work of Ifaiah. They allude to the fall of Moab, and were written (xvi. 14.) within three years of its deftruction. But Moab was overthrown (Jofephus, Ant. x. 9.) about five years after the taking of Jerufalem by Nebuchadrezzar, or his fervants, and a long century after the death of Ifaiah.

It remains, then, to confider thefe and all the fubfequent chapters, as an anthology, by various uncertain hands; or from the identity of character (and that of no common nor imitable kind) which pervades them, to afcribe them to fome one later author. If this refource be preferred, as in reafon it ought, it might be contended, that the work af cribed to Daniel, cannot be his (Collins Scheme of Literal Prophecy, p. 149, &c.) but is a pofterior writing, probably as late as Antiochus Epiphanes: that the exiftence of this legend, no less than the teftimony of Ezekiel, is a proof of the high traditional reputation of Daniel, which muft have had fome caufe; that the compofition of theie poems is a probable caufe; and that the tins of idea prevailing in them, are fuch as his time, his place, his circumftances, would peculiarly tend to fugget: and, confequently, that the name of Daniel fhould once again be prefixed." Monthly Review, vol. XXili. P. 491..

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ters of Ezekiel, have alfo the appearance of official war-fongs. The two latter evi dently relate to an expedition against the Scythians. Some hesitation will be felt in afcribing the feries of five chapters uninterruptedly to Daniel; as the xxxviith chapter is much in the ftile of Ezekiel.

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Now it is not at all improbable, that the celebrated Daniel was a fort of laureat to Nebu Khadrezar; that he attended his expeditions, and compofed fongs of triumph or regret over the shift ing fcenery of his enterprizes. Daniel, and the other holtages felected on the firft reduction of Jerufalem, appear to have imbibed, in the Chaldean schools, fteady alliance to the court of Babylon, for he is defcribed, by his legendary biographer (Daniel ii. 48.), as in high favour with his fovereign.

Inafinuch as thefe abfervations have weight, they tend to authorize the fegre gation of a very fine fet of oracles from thofe of Ifaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel and the afcription of them to Daniel.

TOUR OF ENGLAND,

(CONTINUED).

Journal of a Tour through almost everycounty in England, and part of Wales, by Mr. JOHN HOUSMAN, of Corby, near Carlife; whe was engaged to make the Tour by a gentle. man of diftinction, for the purpose of coi lecting authentic information relative to the ftate of the poor. The Journal com. prifes an account of the general appearance of the country, of the foil, furface, build ings, &c. with obfervations agricultural, commercial, &c.

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IEICESTERSHIRE is famous for its fine breed of cattle and fheep. Thele animals have lately been mproved fpirited farmers in the north of that to a great degree of perfection by fome county; among whom the late Mr. Bakewell, of Difhley, was the leader. That gentleman felected the best ewes from Lincoinfhire, and cows from Lan cafhire; he continued to breed from the fame ftock, ftill picking the finest boned, beft fhaped, and fuch of the animals as

*Nebu is poffibly the Perfian payb, a mere title occurring alfo in the names Nabonaflar, Nabopolaffar, Nebuzaradan, &c, Khadrezar feems to be the mode of writing, in Babylon letters, the old Aramic word for Kher, Khofroes, or Cyrus, which the modern Sy rians yet exprefs by Kezra ( D'Anville's L'E phrate &-le Tigre, p. 121.) The orthogra phy of Jeremiah and Ezekiel is, therefore, preferable to that of Kings and Chronicles, which read Nebuchadnezzar.

were

Mr. Houfman's Tour....Northamptonfire.

were moft inclined to fatten, for future breeders, till he was acknowledged, by able judges, and by common experience, to poffets the beft and moft profitable fheep and cattle in the kingdom. The prices he fold them for were moft aftonifhing. It is faid that one ram brought him 1200 guineas in one feafon; a cow of his breed has been fold for 260 guineas, and a bull was let for 152 guineas, for four months only. Thefe improved breeds are now very defervedly beginning to fpread into moft parts of the kingdom. The theep are ufually fold to the butchers at two years old, for 21. 15s. each. In Leicestershire they experience fome inconvenience for want of turnips; a few farmers fend their fheep into the neighbouring counties to winter on that root, which generally cofts about 5s. 6d. or 6s. each for twenty weeks. The expence of falving is alfo generally found unneceffary, which is a peculiar advantage. This fine county was, not many years ago, mostly in common or open fields, and produced a great deal of corn; fince its inclosure it has been found most profitable in grafs that circumstance, as obferved before, occafions much murmuring among the inconfiderate people; who ought to recollect, that every parish or diftrict cannot fupply itfelf with all neceffaries, and that the general intereft of the nation at large is advanced, by applying the foil of every district to the production of fuch kind of human food as it is beft adapted to; because a greater plenty may be expected. If Leicefterfhire produces more beef and mutton than it would do grain, perhaps Oxfordshire or Berkshire raifes more corn than it would do beer or mutton, on the fame quantity of land: why, therefore, fhould not the grazier farm the former, and the plowman the latter? I need not remind the advocates for the old fyftem, that the more animal food is produced in one diftrict, the lefs is neceflary to be raised in another; which, of courfe, gives more scope to the plow, where it is ufed to the greatest advantage.-The population of Leicestershire feems to be reduced under the present farming fyftem; a farm of 100 acres can now be occupied both at much less expence, and with much lefs labour. This alfo furnishes the poor man with matter of complaint; but his arguments, in that refpect, are equally groundless; for if labour be decreafed here, it must be proportionably increafed in corn districts. It must, however, be allowed, that a temporary inconvenience to the labouring poor will take place, MONTH, MAG. No. XXIX.

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when fuch a fudden change in the agricultural fyftem happens, as that which has recently occurred in this county; but that inconvenience will decrease by degrees, till it wholly difappears.-Leicefterfhire feems, in general, to have a ftrong foil; the furface uneven, and in fome parts rather hilly; the air pure, but not fo much water as might be wished; nor are the roads fo pleafant as in fome lefs fertile counties. But notwithstanding thefe inconveniences, I have not hitherto, feen any county which, upon the whole, appears to afford fo many defirable objects in a country refidence.

August 29, Brixworth to Northampton, fix miles.—A pleafant level country, and rather woody. The people reaping wheat; a great deal of that grain produced here, and very good: turnips are alfo much cultivated. I paffed an elegant feat of Lord STAFFORD, on the left. Moft part of this district appears to have been inclosed not many years ago. Buildings mostly of ftone. Northampton is a pretty large town; its ftreets are wide and clean; houfes well built; flagged walks on each fide the street; the market-place a large fquare, and furrounded with very genteel houfes: this. town, in fhort, is the most pleasant country market town I have feen, Oxford perhaps excepted. Northampton ftands on a fine fertile plain, and the country around it is beautiful. This town was remarkable for the manufacture of shees; but although fhoe-making is at prefent one of the principal employs of the inhabitants, it is carried on now much lefs than formerly. Something is alfo done in wool-combing and jersey-fpinning, as alfo in working of lace. This town contains four parish churches, and a good infirmary. Farms in the neighbourhood 100l. to 200l. a year.

September 2d, I left Northampton, and went to Rode, in Northamptonshire, eight miles. The foil is a ftrong loam; furface uneven; pretty hedge rows; plenty of trees, and the road tolerably good. In this day's journey I again meet with flint mixed with the foil, and fome curious petrefactions among the gravel with which the roads are made: thefe petrefied subftances are called by the inhabitants crow ftones and thunderbolts. The former have been fhells fomewhat refembling cockles, and the latter are generally found two, three, or four inches long, about the thickness ofone's little finger, and pointed at one end; they are nearly round, and have fomething like a hollow

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place

192

Northamptonshire.-Exertions of France in making Arms.

place in the middle, which time has filled up; but whether they have originally been animal or vegetable fubftances, I cannot form a conjecture. Many of the houfes are built with a whiteifh freettone, and thatched. The people are reaping fine crops of wheat all along; the labourers feem lazy, and have bad methods of reaping; a fervant girl in Cumberland would do much more work in the harvest field, than any of thefe labourers which I have obferved. Rode is a small

farming village, the buildings of which are mean, and thatched. Farms, from zól. to rool. a year, and the land belonging to the village moftly in commion field; the produce, wheat, barley, peafe, and beans. Rent about 10s. 6d. per acre. The land, in most of the neighbouring parishes, is alfo in common field; the conftant rotation of crops are, firft, fallow; fecond, wheat, or barley; third, peafe, beans, or oats. Where common fields have been inclofed, the rents are generally doubled, which is the best proof of the great advantage of inclofing. In common fields, no hay or grafs, for pafture, can be had, and confequently few cows are kept, and them miferably fed on the headlands, &c. during the day, and are under the neceffity of being confined in the night; a very great inconvenience. In this and the neighbouring villages, many of the women are lace-workers. In farmers' houfes, the work of the females is confined to cookery, fowing, &c. and fo far from being useful in the harveft field, even in the most bufy times of the season, that few of them know how to milk a cow. What a figure would there girls make in the fervice of a Cumberland farmer! Labourers' wives and children employ themselves, during the harvest, in gleaning, and often collect a great deal of corn, and fometimes as much beans as will feed a pig. It would certainly, how ever, be more advantageous, both to the farmer and the labourer, were the wives of the latter to reap along with their hufbands as long as they could get employ, and afterwards collect the gleanings of the fields. The property of the different owners in all the common fields in thefe counties, lies in long, narrow, and often crooked lands, which are feparated by stakes, ficnes, or more commonly by ftripes of grafs land. Refpe&ting the manner of managing the wheat in the field after reaping, I noticed all along, that they bind it up in mall caves, and place them in what they call

fhocks, ten together, five on each fide,
but without laying two fheaves horizon-
tally along the tops, as is done in the
north, in order to keep the ears from be-
ing injured by the wet. The manner of
plowing and carting here, is nearly fimi-
lar to the mode followed in all the coun
ties I have paffed fince I left Suffolk.
[To be continued.]

For the Monthly Magazine.

THE following Extract, from Mr.
Account of the extraor

dinary collection of Saltpetre, which
took place in the fecond and third year
of the French Republic, gives a wonder-
fal proof of the energetic impulfe which
pervaded that nation, when in à manner
unprepared to refift the formidable force
in league against it.

"One ftill recollects with aftonishment and admiration, the enthufiaftic fpirit of every Frenchman, at a time, when their country was in the greatest danger; and the prodigious efforts which refulted from it, towards furnishing an enormous quantity of arms of every kind, and of gunpowder, which the nation was much in want of the almoft inftantaneous erection of numberlefs buildings, in all parts of the Republic, for making and repairing all forts of polifhed arms, mufkets, and cannons of every bore, both for the land and fea fervice; as well as the incredible quantity of ammunition, utenfils, machines, and other neceffaries, for the confumption and ufe of more than 900,000 men, ftationed at one time on the frontiers, independent of the national guards in the interior: in a word, fo great a toil, as may be easily conceived, put in action an incredible number of workmen.

"It was found neceffary to employ therein, thofe men whofe labour was of an analogous kind; that is to say, men of different vocations in the rough work of wood and metals; or even fuch as were acquainted with the more refined and finifhed parts. It was neceffary alfo, in a manner, to make apprentices of those workmen who had been taken from their

* To give a full idea of the enormity of this fabrication, it will be within bounds to delivered from the founderies, 597 brafs, and declare, that, in one month,, there were 452 iron cannon, of different bores; and 7000 brafs, and 12 or 13,000 iron cannon, were mounted fit for fervice, in the space of one year.

ufual

Extraordinary Collection of Saltpetre in France.

fual occupations, and to put them under intelligent and skilful matters; thefe alfo were to be inftructed by artists still more experienced, who would throw a light upon the practical part, rectify, fimplity, and intirely change it, in certain cafes, by taking advantage of the acquired and accurate knowledge of the first men of the kind: in fhort, it was neceffary, that all fhould be conftantly inftructed, moved to action, encouraged, and sustained, by a powerful government, which gave every proof of being devoted to the fervice of its country, and was endowed with found judgment and energetic will. But, if I may be allowed the expreffion, it was neceffary to give impulfe to a whole nation, when the business was brought forward, of extracting every where the faltpetre earth contained in the French foil. This art was, in fact, an object more confined; it was almost generally unknown. Private intereft was alarmed at feeing it fet on foot; and still more numerous prejudices produced a variety of obftacles. Men could not be perfuaded that perfons fo untaught, and at that time perfect ftrangers to the bufinefs, could all at once engage in it with fuccefs; they could not believe that France was fo rich in that precious commodity, which was never known to have been extracted in fufficient quantity for ordinary ufes; and of which a full fupply had only been obtained, by means of what was brought from India.

193

fkilful perfons; who were to explain to them the art of preparing faltpetre-of refining it, and of making gunpowder; and to fome of them, the mode of cafting cannon. Thefe pupils were then fent back into the different eftablishments, 2ccording to their capacities, to aflit in the works. Government kept up an active correspondence with all its agents; it fupplied them occafionally with every neceffary, and every where made eafy the executive part. It was known, that every diftrict could eafily furnish a thoufand weight of faltpetre every decade, and orders were given for that quantity; places were pointed out where to fend it to; the means of conveying it were fixed upon; and frequent accounts were rendered of every operation. In fhort, fo much care produced the defired effects; more than fixteen millions of pounds of rough faltpetre were collected in one year; and the working of it up, although recalled in the following year, to the laws formerly enacted, ftill yielded nearly five millions and a half of this faline fubftance.

"But thus filling the magazines was not fufficient, it was neceffary to refine it for making powder; the former mode was too tedious, too embarraffing, in a word, was impracticable, confidering the urgent neceffity for powder. A new and more advantageous procefs was propofed by M. CARNY, which when properly executed, required lefs time, confumes lefs fuel, difpofes the falt petre to dry more readily, demands lefs extent of ground and buildings, and confequently occafions lefs lofs of faltpetre.

*There were fent to Paris, în confequence of this order, about 1,100 men, to whom

"In the mean time, at the invitation of the National Convention, proclaimed by a decree of the 14th of Frimaire, an. 2, the citizens gave themselves up to the making of faltpetre. The number of buildings erected in the Republic, on this grand occafion, amounted rapidly to Citizens GUYTON, FOUR CROY, DUFOUR6000. Neceffary inftructions were every NY, BERTHOLET, CARNY, PLUVINET, where distributed by order of government. MoNGE, HASSENFRATZ, and PERRIER, France was divided into large diftricts, gave instructive lectures, on the fabrication each of which was continually furveyed, of faltpetre and cannon. This courfe comby an inspector killed in arts and fci- menced on the it Ventofe, an. 2. and the ences. Under each infpector, in every fummary of each lecture was formed into a department, was placed a former Direc- little work, and printed by order of the Comtor of the National Administration ofmittee of Public Safety. This Committee Saltpetre Works; who appointed in each district, a citizen fufficiently intelligent to prefide over the formation of the offices, and to regulate the works; and thus was activity eftablished in every place at once.

On the other hand, a fummons was iffued, for every district to send two roBuft and intelligent cannoniers to Paris, to receive their inftructions from the most

alfo gave charge to Citizen MONGE, to draw up a complete defeription of the process for making cannon; in confequence of which, he published a most valuable work upon that fubject, in large 4to, with a number of plates.

The fumming up of the decadary accounts, addreffed officially to government, announce a production of 16,754,039lbs of faltpetre, from the 14th Frimaires an. 2. to the fame date, an. 3.

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194 Mr. Bruce on an Atmospherical Phænomenon at Edinburgh.

"In a fhort time, the refinery of l'Unité was built, on the abbey-ground of St. Germain-des-pres, at Paris. Saltpetre flowed there in profufion; and this eftablifhment alone yielded in the refined ftate, regularly every day, near 30,000lbs*. "As to the proceís of making powder, it has not only been abridged, brought to perfection in the old powder works, and carried to a degree of strength hitherto unknown; but a fabric, which may be called gigantic, the works of Grenelle, was erected at one of the extremities of Paris. There, methods altogether new, were put in practice, for mixing and triturating the ingredients, as well as rendering the compofition more compact, and for granulating it: the machines and mechanical means were alfo entirely newt. This immenfe fabric, which fcarcely exifted five months from its commencement, had delivered out to the armies more than 1500,000lbs. of good powder, before the conftructions neceffary to the establishment were compleated and, at a time, when it had proceeded fo far as to fabricate daily 33,000 weight of well conditioned powder, it was accidentally blown up, and reduced to a frightful heap of ruins.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

N uncommon phænomenon appeared

ferved from about half paft fix till near eight o'clock. It had the appearance of one large pillar or pencil of whiteish light, as if rifing from fome luminous body near the horizon; its lower part being hid behind Salisbury-Hill, where the light showed much brighter for a great way up, and as it afcended to the zenith, where it alfo diflipated, it grew much fainter and broader; the fixed stars being visible enough through it. Near the lower part, to the caft, as fome fmall

* It was in part burnt, by accident, on the 4th Fructidor, an. 2. which circumftancce did not long interrupt the bufinefs, although it was renewed on a lefs fcale than before.

This new method of making powder, was ftill due to Citizen CARNY, whofe zeal was equal to his knowledge and talents.

This catastrophe happened on the 14th Fruttider, an. 2. It was thought to have been occafioned by the imprudence of a workman, notwithstanding the ftricteft police and vigilance. It was afterwards judged prudent, to form feveral eftablishments on a finaller fcale.

clouds paffed over it, now and then the darkened part made a beautiful break, or interruption, which was prefently restored when the cloud had pafled over. But the pillar, or body of light itself, had not the leaft appearance of that quivering or vibrating motion peculiar to aurora bo realis; neither did it fhift its fituation during the whole time, fo far as could be obferved, which was a point or two to the north of east. About eight o'clock, or a quarter after, the fky grew hazy, then cloudy, and the whole was obfcured

At its first appearance, and indeed all the day, there was a pretty high westerly wind, and, except near the horizon, the fky was quite clear; but except the above perpendicular stream of light, there was not the fmalleft appearance of aurora borealis vifible all the time.

If any of your correfpondents have ob, ferved this phænomenon, or know of any fuch appearance upon record, it is requefted they will be fo kind as to favour the public with their farther obfervations. Edinburgh, A. BRUCE.

13th Feb. 1798.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

A
S it is one object of your valuable
Mifcellany to elucidate great and
interefting characters, by the publication
of authentic documents, I communicate
the two following letters of Frederic the

were firt

given to the German public, by Mr. Nicolai, of Berlin, who received them from the Duchefs of Brunswick, to whom they were written by that illuftrious monarch. The firft is on the death of her fon Leopold, a prince no lefs diftinguished for humanity than talents; the other, on the approach of his own diffolution, and written only fix days before that event. They both difplay the mild and philofophic firmnefs of a character on which fo much has been faid, and so little is accurately known, because it has been delineated by men wanting either opportunity or abilities for fuch a task. Even the celebrated Zimmermann has greatly mifreprefented this illuftriotis monarch, in thofe anecdotes which Mr. Nicolai proves to be a fabrication of error

and misinformation.

I. S.

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