158 SCOTLAND. Agricultural Report, &c. Ancient Baths, and Earl Mansfield, and his Hume, and Rouffcau, are diftinguished fpecimens. Mr. Martin's predilection for Scotland is eafily accounted for: his venerable parents and nearest relations refided there; his attachment to the metropolis was leften London; and fince that time has enjoyed much reputation and fuccefs in his profesion; and it is univerfally allowed, that no Scottih artist has appeared of fuperior, if of equal abilities. David Martin, efq. portrait painter, died at his house in Edinburgh, on Saturday the 30th of December, 1797. Mr. Martin was born at Anftruther in Fife, and received the education of his early years from his father, Mr. John Martin, a man of a most refpecta-ed by the death of his wife. In 1783, he left ble character, and very ingenious. In very early life Mr. Martin's genius for drawing difcovered itfelf, procured him the notice of the neighbouring gentlemen, and introduced him to the acquaintance and friendship of Mr. Ramfay, late painter to his Majesty. With Mr. Ramfay he went to Rome, and refided in that fchool of the arts about three years. During the period of Mr. Ramfay's greateft fame, and while he was painter to the royal family, Mr. Martin was his friend and ufeful affiftant. He did not confine himfelf to the pencil, which was employed not on portraits only, but occafionally on other ftudies: he frequently amufed himself as an engraver and worker in mezzotinto, of which, his Summer Evening, and Ruins of The Countess of Stair, at her house in Galloway. At Dundee, Mrs. Camilla Elizabeth Wright, wife of James Wright, jun. efq. daughter of colonel D. Campbell, and great grand-daughter, on the maternal fide, to the late lord Rokeby, archbishop of Armagh, &c. She is greatly regretted by all her friends and acquaintance, who could juftly appreciate great fenfibility, a high fenfe of propriety, franknefs, integrity of principle, and independance of fpirit. AGRICULTURAL REPORT FOR FEBRUARY, 1798. OUR accounts from the more northern districts state, that notwithstanding the frost and falls of fnow during this month, the operations of the husbandman have not been much retarded. In general, farmers have been bufily employed in turning over their winter fallows, or in preparing their lands for barley and oats. From Wales too we find, that the late changes in the weather have, in many respects, been favourable; fpeaking of those diftricts in the vicinity of the river Wye, our reporter obferves, that the heavy rains, the torrents from the mountains, and the frequent and uncommon overflowings of the Wye, during the winter, have fpread a cheap manure over the meadows, which has been mellowed by the warm weather that fucceed; and as the practice of flooding is univerfally attended to in this country, there is perhaps fcarcely a bit of pasture, all around, efpecially in the vallies, that is not confiderably enriched. The wheat crops of which alone any conjectures can yet be formed, looked, before the froft, very fine and promifing; and the confiderable fall of fnow, by which the froft was ushered in, will probably contribute rather to their benefit than injury. In other parts of the kingdom, we alfo find, that the wheat crops, efpecially on dry loams, in general, appear well: but that on ftrong wet clayey foils they are not fo promifing. TURNIPS.. Thefe roots have continued to ftand the winter extremely well. In most of the diftricts north of the Tay, this crop feems to have failed. GRAIN. The markets keep ftill rather on the decline. Wheat, on the 17th inftant, averaged throughout England and Wales, 49s. 6d. Barley, 26s. 11d. and Cats, 16s. 9d. per quarter. MEAT. This continues pretty much the fame as in our laft Report. IN SMITHFIELD, on the 26th, Beef fold from 40d. to 5od. and Mutton from 44d. to 528. per ftone, finking the offal. Hors. Kentish Hops fetch from go to ro8s. bags; from 100 to 126s. pockets. STOCK. Fat stock ftill continues high, but the prices of lean cattle are much lower. HORSES. Thefe are ftill getting cheaper. ERRATA. In the valuable paper, No. 27, On Weights, p. 13, 1. 28, for vitis read vini.— p. 14, 1. 6, for bonis read boni.-p. 16, 1. 36, for lower read tower. In Mr. Richter's paper, No. 26, the first line, The principal means by which, fhould have been the principle by means of which. In the 25th line, the word poffible instituted for impoffible. In p. 534, col. 2, 1.8, from the bottom, that neceffary connection fhould have been that of necellary connection. In p. 134, col. 1, of the prefent Number, the head-line "CHEMISTRY," is, by the neg ligence of the printer, in its wrong place. It fhould be understood as preceding the sublequent paragraph refpecting the "Annales de Chemie.” In Mr. Loft's Paper, No. 25, the duration of the lunar eclipfe should be 3h. 59m, instead of 5. and unujual, instead of unequal, in the account of the folar spot. THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE. XXIX.] FOR MARCH, 1798. [VOL. V. The Four Volumes of the MONTHLY MAGAZINE, which are now completed, may be had complete of any Bookfeller, price Thirty Shillings, neatly half-bound, or any fingle Numbers or Volume, may be had separate, at the Pleasure of the Purchaser. ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR, AVING undertaken to examine chemistry, I wish to excite as much attention as poffible to the fubject; and as your publication goes into the hands of all lovers of literature in England, I beg leave to make use of it, in order to state, in a general way, what appear to me to be the strongest objections to this system, which has now reigned triumphant about twelve years, very few perfons befides myself being advocates for the old doctrine of phlogiftion. I have already published two pamphlets on the fubject, and I intend to continue the controverfy till I have collected all the evidence that fhall be fufficient to decide the question; and if in the iffue I fee reafon for fo doing, I fhall publicly acknowledge my converfion to the doctrine that I now controvert, and fhall even take a pride in fo doing. In the mean time, having heard what has been advanced by fome very able advocates for the new fyftem, in anfwer to my first pamphlet, I think I am pretty well apprized of all that can be faid with refpect to thofe experiments that are yet before us. But in time fomething more decifive may be produced. In reply to all that I have yet heard on the fubject, I would obferve, 1. When ametal, viz. iron, is diffolv. ed in the vitriolic acid, the antiphlogiftians fay, that the inflammable air which is procured does not come from the iron, but from the water, which is decomposed in the process. But, according to their theory, water confifts of two principles, hydrogen gas and oxygen, and therefore, if the hydrogen be fet at liberty, in the form of inflammable air, there ought to remain an additional quantity of oxygen in the veffel; and I afk, where is it to be found They fay in the calx of the iron. But I answer, that this calx exhibits no appearance whatever of its containing any oxygen, and the acid attached to it yields lefs dephlogisticated air on being MONTHLY MAG. No, XXIX. fubjected to a red heat, than the fame quantity of the acid that was employed in the procefs. And if this calx be af a lens in atmospheric air, it is fo far from making any addition to it, that this air is diminished. It is acknowledged by my opponents, that after the solution, the acid in the vesfel will not faturate more alkali than it would have done before. Since, then, this additional quantity of oxygen which the new theory fuppofes, cannot be found, either in the form of an acid, or of dephlogifticated air, what evidence is there of its existence? And is not the probability greatly in favour of the inflamma ble air coming from the iron rather than from the water, and that by the lofs of this principle it becomes a calx. If this be the cafe, metals are compound subftances, and water, as far as we yet know, a fimple one; whereas, according to the new theory, metals are fimple substances, and water the compound. 2. When fteam is applied to red hot iron, inflammable air is procured, and the iron receives an addition of about one half of its former weight, and is the fame thing with what the forge-men in England call finery cinder, and with the scales of iron in a blackfmith's fhop. This fub ftance the antiphlogiftians fay is an oxyde of iron, fuppofing that the water is des compofed by paffing in contact with it, when the hydrogen is feparated in the form of inflammable air, and the oxygen remains united to it. But I afk, what is the evidence of this fubftance containing any oxygen, when it can neither be re duced to an acid, nor exhibited in the form of oxygenous gas, or dephlogisti cated air? I think that the addition to the iron is mere water, and when it is heated in inflammable air, the iron is re vived, and the water fet at liberty. Another evidence of a folid fubftance, like this, containing oxygen, is its oxygenating, or as I call it, dephiogiftica ting, the marine acid. But though this Y fubftance 160 Interesting Chemical Letter from Dr. Priestley. fubftance is completely diffolved in this acid, no fign of oxygenation appears. Indeed, fome very flight fign, barely perceivable, fometimes appears on the folution of fcale of iron, to which (being formed in the open air) it is probable that a fmall quantity of oxygen may adhere. But if this fmall quantity be developed, I ask why is not more difcovered, when more was prefent? The agent is the fame, and it has much more matter to act upon. They fay that this finery cinder is a partial oxyde of iron, and common-uft of iron a complete oxyde. But fince iron receives a much greater addition to its weight by becoming finery cinder, than by being converted into ruft, and all the addition is allowed to be pure oxygen, the former ought to contain more of this principle than the latter. Befides, finery cinder is incapable of becoming ruft. The contrary, indeed, is afferted; but let the observation of the fact decide between us. I farther obferve, that when any folid fubftance, containing oxygen or dephlogifticated air, is heated in inflammable air, a quantity of fixed air is formed, by the union of the oxygen from the fubftance and the inflammable air in the veffel. This is the cafe when minium is revived in these circumftances, but not fo when finery cinder is ufed, nothing but water being found in the veffel. Alfo, when iron, or any fubftance containing phlogiston, is heated in dephlegifticated air, fixed air is produced. This the antiphlogiftians fay comes from the plumbago in the iron. But the plumbago in the iron employed is not one hundredth part of the weight of the fixed air produced, if the plumbago could be feparated, and decompofed, in the process, which it can not. That fixed air may be produced by the union of dephlogifticated and inflammable air, I farther prove by heating together red precipitate, which yields only dephlogisticated air, and filings of iron, which give only inflammable air; when there is a copious production of the pureft fixed air. This, however, I am informed my opponents deny. With me the experiment has never failed. Let others judge between us. If this be the fact, here is a copious production of what the antiphlogiftians call the carbonic acid without any carbone, which they fay is the only fource of it. But the argument which my opponents urge with the greateft confidence, is drawn from the fuppofed compofition of water, viz. from dephlogisticated and inflammable air burned in a certain proportion to each other. I fay, however, that when these two kinds of air are fired together, they produce either the nitrous acid, or phlogisticated air, which is known to be capable, by decompofition, of forming nitrous acid. When the inflammable air is more than fufficient to form nitrous acid, the phlogifticated air is produced. This I demonftrate, by firing the two kinds of air in a clofe tube of glass or copper. To this my opponents have objected, that when I produce any acid, it must have come from the decompofition of the phlogisticated air, which I had not been careful to exclude in the process. But I am confident that, in my last method of making the experiment, there was not the leaft fenfible quantity of phlogisticated air prefent, and that, in all the cafes, the acid produced was a hundred times more than the phlogisticated air could have formed. Whenever their flame burned ftrongly, fo as to enfure more dephlogifticated air than they wifhed, the water they produced was not free from acidity, and whenever it was, they found a furplus of phlogisticated air, which agrees with my experiments. That dephlogifticated and inflammable air, uniting in certain circumstances, can form phlogifticated air, I have fhewn in feveral proceffes. Inflammable air, expofed to ruft of iron confined by mercury, becomes in time wholly phlogisticated air, and the ruft is converted into a black powder, which no doubt is the fame thing with plumbago. This fubftance, therefore, is iron fuperfaturated with phiogifton. On the whole, I am as far as ever from feeing any evidence of either the compofition or decompofition of water; but on the contrary, much and very fatisfactory evidence against it. I write, however, with no other view than to promote a full and fair difcuffion of the fubject, which is certainly of confiderable importance in chemistry. I am, Sir, your's, &c. Northumberland, Dec. 20, 1797. J. PRIESTLEY. Dr. Beddoes on the Nitrous Acid.-Welsh Indians. Mr. BLAIR. For the fhips, by which they were brought, had not arrived. By thofe fhips Mr. SCOTT fent me a copy, requesting I would reprint the letters, in any publication which I might be preparing on the fubject of nitrous But I have fince received from Mr. SCOTT, inftructions to fuppress what be fays about the effect of bathing, as he is acid. not fatisfied with his trials. This retractation, together with remarks on fome material points, will appear in the collection now in the prefs; for it is too late (in confequence of what has been ́ published here) to fupprefs the remarks on the nitrous bath, as the author wilhed. I am afraid the collection of cates will be a few weeks longer in appearing than I gave reafon to expect. A confiderable number of communications are printed. But fome, which were promifed two months ago, are not yet come to hand— and I could wish to prefent the public with a refpectable body of facts. I find by my correfpondence in America, that they have been employing nitrous acid there" with various, but, for the most part, with good fuccefs."-I hope we hall, ere long, know how far this and the other fubftances newly brought into queftion, are useful that we may ufe them fo far, and no farther. I am, Sir, with good wishes for the fuccefs of your exertions, yours, March 7, 1798. THOMAS BEDDOES. To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine, SIR, THE HE following is an extract of a letter from my correfpondent at Philadelphia, refpecting a late attempt to penetrate to the Welsh Indians, da.ed the 5th of December, 1797. 161 complained that Mr. EVANS would not comply with fome Spanish etiquette previoufly to his fetting out on his journey: in deed, I had often heard from men of obfer. vation, that he had not a fufficient knowledge of mankind to balance his enterprif: ing enthufiafm. These remarks I make without knowing the contents of his letter, a copy of which I shall certainly fend you the first opportunity, with fome further comments upon the subject." Extract of a fecond letter, dated the 30th of Dec. 1797. I was in hopes to have had it in my power to communicate fomething concerning JOHN EVANS. Dr. JONES, of Lower Dublin, has received a letter from him a few days ago. I have fent two meffages for a copy of it, but it is not yet come to hand. I understand that EVANS has returned to Kentucky, without finding his brethren. I was apprehenfive of his mifcarriage; for Judge TURNER, on his arrival in this city last fpring, informed me that MACKAY, the acting partner in the Miffouri Company, had returned to St. Louis, finding the western Indians in a hoftile pofition. Nothing was then mentioned of EVANS, farther than that the judge faid the commandant of St. Louis, in a letter to him, "In my last I promifed you a copy of JOHN EVANS's letter; but the whole being rather a crude compofition, and rather long, I fend you the fubftance of his report, which has been published in feveral of the American papers; and in making it known in Europe, you will oblige feveral of our friends, "The ideas, which I fuggefted in my laft letter, on the fubject of this miffion, I ftill retain. I was always doubtful of the exiftenee of Welch Indians; but, in my opinion, we are left in the dark as much as ever, in refpect to their existence or non-existence. Thofe who have af ferted that there are fuch a people may have equal credit, in the fcale of probabability, with those who only, by fuper ficial research, declare they cannot find them. EVANS's account is very lame, and to me appears doubtful. We may know more about it hereafter; and fhould I hear any thing farther, I fhall not fail to communicate it. "After enumerating his difficulties and fufferings on the Miffiffippi, which have been already published, EVANS gives a fhort account of his journey up the Miffouri. "In Auguft, 1795, fays he, I started from St. Louis, in company with JAMES MACKAY, commandant on the Miffouri, and wintered, the fame year, with the Mahas nation, on the faid river. Whilft here, I spent twenty-five days with the Indians, on their hunting ground, and then returned to Poft Mahas, where I tarried two months. "In February, 1796, I recommenced my journey weftward, and, at the distance of 300 miles from the Mahas, was discovered by fome hoftile Indians, called the Seaux. Being obliged to retreat, I again returned to the Mahas; but in June following, undertook the fame route, and, in Auguft, arrived at the Mandans and BigBelly nation, 300 leagues from the Mahas, and 600 leagues from the confluence of the Missouri with the Miffiffippi. "The 162 Welsh Indians.-Prize in the Lottery. "The Miffouri, for 260 leagues from St. Louis, traverses and forms beautiful meanders through fine meadows, as level as a table: the vale or bottom is from twelve to eighteen miles in breadth. The river fometimes glides along the hills on each fide, but its general courfe is to the fouth of the plain: for 400 leagues it is full of little islands, and receives very confiderable ftreams above R. Platte, 190 leagues from St. Louis. From the Pancas to the Mandans, which is about 190 leagues, it has forced its way, and runs furiously through mountains and hills full of mine. "Having explored and taken a chart of the Miffouri, for 1800 miles, I returned with its rapid current, in 68 days, to St. Louis, July 15, 1797, after being abfent nearly two years. I was well received by the Spanish officers, who preffingly folicited me to undertake another adventure, across the continent, to the Pacific. In refpect to the Welsh Indians, I have only to inform you, that I could not meet with fuch a people; and from the intercourfe I have had with Indians, from lat. 35 to 49, I think you may with fafety inform our friends, that they have no existence. "The applications made to me, by this government, prevent my coming at prefent to Philadelphia; fhould I accept of the offer, it will be fome time before I fee you." Signed," JOHN THOMAS EVANS." The above is the refult of the expedition undertaken by EVANS, which was announced to take place about five years ago; and accompanied by fome decuments, upon which the hope of fucceeding therein in a great meature depended. The above accounts do not explain clearly why EVANS returned from the point mentioned by him, which, from all the information received, is fhort of the fituation affigned for the people he was in fearch of Yours, &c. MEIRION. To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR, ALTHOUGH no man can obey the gerly trive than I do, to obey the apostolic injunction," Live peaceably with all men, yet there is one refpect in which I rank with the difaffected part of this nation, and have feldom failed for feveral years of my life, to oppofe one of the pofitive laws of my country. I allude now to the State Lottery, and my mode of oppofition is this. I endeavour to perfuade all my friends, particularly thofe who think they would have good luck, to avoid buying tickets, or fhares of tickets; and although this be abfolutely flying in the face of that government which has, in its wifdom, projected and commanded this fcheme of finance, yet I have hitherto contrived to fteer pretty clear of punishment, becaufe, although there are many claufes in the act which conftitutes and appoints a lottery, there is not one which compels us to purchase tickets. In my oppofition, therefore, I proceed fecurely, and, what is more, I act fairly; for I never repeat my annual admonitions unless at the clofe of the drawing. There are two reafons why I act thus; first, that I may not feem factious or invidious, and, fecondly, becaufe at the end of a lottery, I find many perfons inclined to take my advice, who, at the beginning of it, would not listen to me. But why, you will fay, am I fo hoftile to lotteries? I will answer in few words Because I once was fortunate, and from that time had to date the miferies from which I am recovering only by very flow degrees; for I fuppofe I need not tell you, that a war is a very unhealthy time for perfons recovering from loffes in trade. It is a bad time to pick up, as we fay-It is like fending a confumptive pair of lungs into a fharp air, or curing the ague in the fens of Lincolnshire. But to my story, which has been the burthen of my fong for fo many years. You must know, Sir, that I began life in the humble capacity of a very refpectable tallow chandler, in Whitechapel, and carried on for fome time a very fnug trade. Befides families and chance customers, I furnifhed two hofpitals with candles, and frequently had the honour to throw light on the many fubjects of political fpeculation, which were agitated in a neighbouring públichoufe. Things went on then, Sir, exa&tly as they should do. My profits, if not great, were certain; and, upon the word of a tallow-chandler, I declare they were honeft, for I made it a rule to ftick to the trade price, and never refuled at Christmas to give my cuftemer. maids a few rush-lights, in order to fhew them how to play whisk like their masters. As to politics, I went not a jot farther than the Daily Advertifer enjoined me; and, like a good fubject, I had a heart. felt fatisfaction in the victories of my country, especially when they were fo great as to require the aid of my trade to |