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powder, was found in neglected privics, common fewers, and, above all, in coal-pits, where it is known to the miners by the name of the fire-damp, and to whom it is very formidable, as its explosions are fometimes attended with moft terrible effects.

About fifty years ago SIR JAMES LOWTHER, Bart. favoured the Royal Society with an account of the effects of this kind of air in his coal-mines, in Cumberland; and at the fame time fent them feveral bladders filled with it, which burnt as readily as it had done a month before in the mines it was taken from. Yet this extraordinary fluid was then, and for years afterwards, looked on, even by the members of that fociety, more as an object of curiofity than of philofophical enquiry; and might, perhaps, have remained fo to this day, if that true and indefatigable philofopher, MR. HENRY CAVENDISH, had not taken up the fubject, and made experiments on it; by which, and the confequences which he has drawn from them, he has added greatly to our former stock of knowledge in aerial fluids.

In thefe experiments MR. CAVENDISH has flown us how this kind of air may be produced at pleasure, and in abundance, by diffolving zinc, iron, or tin in diluted vitriolic acid, or fpirit of fea-falt. He alfo made feveral experiments on the inflammability of various mixtures of this fluid with common atmospheric air, at once important, accurate, and ingenious. But, above all, and which fhews the vaft difference between this fpecies of factitious air and that above-mentioned, he found that inflammable air was prodigiously lighter, even than common atmospheric air, in the proportion of ten to one. This fact, afcertained with fo much certainty and precifion as it was here done, induced the celebrated DR. BLACK, of Edinburgh, to attempt to raise the bladders of animals, filled with this air, in the atmosphere; but not being able to blow the bladders up to fuch a fize as rendered the compound body of bladder and air. fpecifically lighter than atmospheric air, at confiderable diftances from the

furface of the earth, he failed in that experiment; but which, according to the accounts from Paris, has been effected in another way by MESS. MONTGOLFIERS, of whom, as well as their difcovery, and the experiments that have been made of it, we shall endeavour to give the beft account we can collect from the public journals, as well as fome private letters which have come to our hands.

The elder MONTGOLFIER, in his youth, had given himfelf up entirely to the ftudy of the mathematics, and the younger to thofe of natural philofophy and chemistry, and they had no intentions of applying themfelves to bufiness; but, by the death of a brother, were obliged to put themfelves at the head of a paper manufactory at Annonay, in the Vivarais, a province in the fouth of France, which we are told foon arrived at a very fuperior degree of excellence, through the joint application and phi lofophical knowledge of the two brothers. However, in fome of those moments of leifure which philofophic minds know fo well how to fill with the study of the fciences, they conceived the idea of applying the dif ference between the weights of common and inflammable air to the fame purpose which had been attempted by Dr. Black. Convinced, either from their own experience, or, perhaps,. from having read an account of Dr. Black's attempt, that bladders were formed of too heavy materials, they bethought them of forming the cafe of thin gummed taffeta, which one of them had bought for the lining of a fuit of clothes; and having fewed it together, they introduced into it about forty cubic feet of inflammable air, when it fprung from their hands and mounted to the ceiling. It is not eafy to defcribe, nor for many to conceive, the joy which animated our two philofophers on this firft dawning of the fuccefs of their experiment. They immediately removed their machine into the garden, where it rofe to the height of about 36 feet; but the inflammable air efcaping from it, at one of the feams, it was not more than two minutes before it fell down again,

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on the top of one of the trees. The unexpected fuccefs of this experiment determined them to attempt a fecond, the refult of which we cannot learn; for that which was tried at Paris was the third, but was not conducted by either of the MONTGOLFIERS, nor were they admitted to be prefent at it. It was conducted by M. FAUJAS DE ST. FOND, and two or three of his friends, who opened a fubfcription to defray the expence of it; and we are told prodigious things of the national ardour which appeared, on this occafion, in fupport of fcience and ingenuity: Princes, minifters, academies, men of letters, and artists fent in their fubfcriptions with fuch ardour as proved that zeal for the fupport of ufeful fcience, and brilliant experiments, reign as forcibly in the breafts of Frenchinen, as it does in thofe of their boajiing rivals!"

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M. DE ST. FOND's machine was, like M. MONTGOLFIER's, formed of taffeta, and fineared over with elastic gum; it was nearly, but not perfectly, fpherical, and of about twelve feet diameter, filled with inflammable air, which had been procured, by great labour, from a folution of metals in diluted vitriolic acid. They contrived to inject the air into the cafe with a pair of bellows. The whole compound body weighed twenty-five pounds, and is faid to have rifen from the ground with a force that would have raifed about forty pounds. But, fuppofing the inflammable air pure (which can fcarcely have been the cafe) and the machine a fphere of the dimenfions given above, the extreme weight it would have raifed may be readily computed. The final experiment was made in the Champ de Mars, which lies in the front of the Royal Military Academy, on the 28th of Auguft laft, about five o'clock in the afternoon. On cutting the cords which faftened it to the ground, the machine immediately began to afcend, turning gently round the axis, or longeft diameter, and in a few minutes was loft behind a cloud. It was, however, feen again after it paffed the cloud for fome small time longer, during which,

from the fmallness of its apparent fize, it was fuppofed to be at a very confiderable height, but what that height really was, the unfavourableness of the weather rendered it very difficult to eftimate. A label was affixed to it, containing the year, month, and day when it was fent up into the air, and a promife of 150 livres to the perfon who fhould find it, and bring it back. It fell, having burften, as is fuppofed, by the force of the internal air becoming too great for that of the external, after it had been up about three quarters of an hour, at Goneffe, which is about twelve miles from Paris.

Two prints have appeared, relating to this experiment, at Paris; one reprefenting the moment of its afcent, in which but one attitude could be given to all the fpectators, that of having their eyes fixed upon the machine; for the violence of the ftorm itself, which happened at that moment, could not divert one of them from it. The fubject of the other print was the fall of the balloon at Goneffe: in this print, which expreffes the terror of the parish where it fell, the painter has indulged himfelf in fome ftrokes of humour and imagination; but we fhall endeavour to convey to our readers the best idea of the machine when rifing, that the fhortnefs of the time will permit, taken from the other.

Another machine of the fame kind is now making by Meff. MONTGOLFIERS, at the inftance of the Royal Academy of Sciences; but the accounts we have of it are fo various, that little can be relied on concerning it. One private letter, which we are in poffeffion of, from a very ingenious and learned gentleman at Paris, fays, "A new ball, or rather fpheroid is conftructing here by M. MONTGOLFIER, which has its tranfverfe diameter So feet long, and its conjugate 40. It is formed of canvas like that which is ufed for the paper hangings of rooms. It is to be filled, they fay, with alkaline air; but this circumftance is concealed with great fecrecy. It is fuppofed this machine will be capable of raifing fome thoufands of pounds weight."

With refpect to what is here faid of filling

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filling the machine with alkaline air, it may be obferved that this kind of air was first produced by Dr. Priestley, who fhews that it is confiderably heavier than common inflammable air; and therefore lefs eligible for the purpose here intended.

Another letter fays, "It is afferted here, as a fact, that two (French) philofophers intend, in a few days, to fet out upon an aerial navigation. Their names are Blanchard and De Rofier (poffibly M. Pilaftrie de Rofier.) The former afferts that he poffeffes the means of rifing, defcending, or proceeding ho rizontally, at pleafure. We live in the century of wonders! May we not hope that fome modern genius may find out the art of building in the clouds; rhat we may find conveniencies on the toad to stop at, in dark nights and bad weather? But, to be ferious: may we not in the purfuit of curiofity, in the end, meet with real utility from this difcovery? At leaft, fuch as that of conveying intelligence acrofs rivers, an arm of the fea, or into befieged towns. As yet, however, we are far enough from all this; as the ball which is reprefented in the enclofed engraving, and which was fent up on the 28th of Auguft, was fcarcely at the height of 1200 fathoms when it burft: the internal air not being allowed fufficient room to expand itfelf in, when it had arrived in an atmosphere confiderably lefs denfe than that near the furface of the earth; notwithstanding one eighth part of its capacity had been allowed for that purpofe. When it fell, which was at fome diftance from Paris, two peafants, taking it for an arial monfter, gave it a moft fevere cudgeling before they difcovered their mistake."

One of the printed journals tells us "The machine which is making by Meff. Montgolfiers is of linen cloth, covered with blue paper. It is compofed of three parts: the firt a pyramid of 24 faces, and 27 feet in height. The f cond is a prifm of the like number of faces, and 24 feet long. The third is a truncated pyramid of about 20 feet; forming in the whole an elevation of full 70 feet. This machine will be capable of raising a weight of from

feven to eight hundred pounds."-We cannot be furprized at the variety of thefe accounts, if we confider what reports would be circulated in London while fuch a thing was in agitation: nor can this paper be concluded better

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than by obferving, that whatever ufes may in the end refult from thefe experiments, it appears fully, from the foregoing recapitulation, that all the dif coveries which have led to them have been made by ENGLISHMEN.

MARRIAGE.

To be happy is the with of all, but all, I cannot but acknowledge that it

the lot of few; the different methods made ufe of, and the various ways pursued to attain it, evidence the very different ideas which perfons in general entertain of its nature and refidence; fome feek after it in the riches, others in the honours, and others in the pleasures of the world; but, after

appears to me to be most likely to be found in the married state, where love and piety go hand in hand, and an uniformity of tempers and difpofitions, together with a competency of this world's poffeffions, unite to promote harmony, afford comfort, and increase affection.

REFLECTION S.

A Man of bad morals can never be a

patriot; for, being deftitute of virtue himself, he muit ever wish to make his country, like his own heart, a fcene of anarchy and confufion.

Some authors boaft that they always write in hafte - but what is this but in other words to fay, that they are poffeffed of fuch wonderful talents, that the world may eafily compound for error and neglect.

When maiden ladies come to a certain age, they do not reject the men fo much from a love of virtue, as from refentment for the neglect that has long been fhown them-they then begin to hate the male-fex in general, from the inattention of particulars.

In party difputes the prize is given to the most violent--but violence, we know, is the child of error.

THE ENGLISH THEATRE, AND REGISTER OF PUBLIC

ENTERTAINMENTS.

THE THEATRE-ROYAL IN THE HAY-MARKET.

N our last number we mentioned

now lay the Prologue before our rea

now.

PROLOGUE TO THE RECEIPT TAX.
Written by Mr. TURNER.

Spoken by Mr. WILSON.
OUR Theatres like well ftock'd larders are,
And the whole drama one choice bill of fare;
Pofted throughout the town, in every ftreet,
All kindly offering fomething nice to eat,
Suiting the various humours of the town,
From the fine lord to the plain fimple clown.
In private life all this is done with eate,

But here, alas! how hard each tafte to pleafe -
Nought belide folids for the pit will do,
With kian wit to give cach difh its gout.
The boxes must be ferv'd with lighter cheer;
Fine fricaflees and fpirited fpruce beer:
Our friends above love goole, stuff'd through and
through-

Some fat roaft beef, and good plum-pudding too.
E'en itates themielves, that mighty fov'reigns
fit,

But cat'rers are, the public tafte to hit→→

Compell'd to ferve up taxes-hard their lot!
And bound to pleafe-whether they can or not.
"What! tax receipts, fays Paunch, 'tis vile and

wrong,

They'll tax our ven'fon too, before 'tis long-
Of calipath and calipee, poor cit,
Without a tax, mayn't get a little bit."
The fcented beau, a neat patch'd up Adonis,
Cries, "Oh, damn me, they'll tax our girls and
ponies."

Tax on receipts makes e'en physicians dread,
And threatens lawyers with the want of bread.
Heav'n knows! poor men, their profits are fo fmall,
Tax their receipts-they'll foon have none at all.
Our author, to indulge each appetite,

A new-made dish prefents his friends this night.
No kill he boats in foreign fricaffées,
The English taste alone he strives to pleafe;

And,

And, tho' in practice young-fcarce known to
fame,

Some little fhare of praife would humbly claim;
Nor be to him this gen'rous boon deny'd,
That each one here will for himfelf decide.

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-His guefts in judgment fit-till more his friends,
Upon whole candour every with depends-

[bell rings.

But, hark! the bell proclaims the time is preffing,
Say then but grace, and give his hopes a biefling.

At a benefit, a comedy was introduced to the public, entitled THE LAWYER; of which the following are the prologue and epilogue:

PROLOGUE TO

FORTH from the clofet, for this fingle night,
A sketch imperfect ventures into fight!--
A thought, unhuithed, on your fuff'rance leans,
Scarce cloth'd with language, or arrang'd in fcenes.
Part of a larger plan, fome future day
May fee completed, and yclep'd a play:
Ditlever'd from the ftock whereon it grew,
As a mere effay it comes forth to view-

Too long the flage, in one unvaried note,
Has fhown the law as fable as its coat;
In darkest colours-touches moft uncivil!
Made ev'ry lawyer blacker than the Devil.
Satire a weaknets in its ftrength difplays,
And
proves "to cenfure's easier than to praife."

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PIL

A bard, the humblest of the Mufe's train,
To juftice dedicates his untried pen:
He draws a lawyer clear from all chicane.
Though art may fail his purpofe to improve
(The motive foaring far his jkill above)

THE LAWYER.

He loves the drama with a brother's love:
But, thould one touch of Nature's genuine fpi-

rit

Promife a gleam, at least, of future merit,
You'll fpare his firft attempt; in policy
Lay your fevere and jufter judgement by:
On your difcernment he has built his truft-
Your fentence will be-as your tafle is—just.

OGUE.

Written by the AUTHOR of the PLAY,
And fpoken by Mrs. BULKLEY.

AS, thro' the town, the play-bill of to-day,
"Midft news and muffins-politics and tea!
Was ferv'd at breaktatt, a loud buz began,
And thus the chatter of the morning ran-

Old Gripus, noddling o'er th' accultom'd dofe
Of jafafras" with fpectacles on nole,"
Reads At the Theatre---What's that to me?
Stay-itay-The Lawyer !-What! a comedy!
Shame on the fhamelets licence of the age-
Expole grave characters upon the stage,
That fools may laugh at better men, and wifer-
How could that blockhead FIELDING write
the Mifer."

The spendthrift beir upon his fopha yawning, Cries (half awake) "Hey! what's the play this morning?

The Lawyer! plague! muft even our diverfions, Teem with writs, bonds, poft-obits, and reverfions! If laws, indeed, were made with due refpect meant To ferve old griping fathers with eje&ment; Such wholefome ftatutes I could ne'er retift, Tho' now I break all larvs but Hoyle's on rubift." "Let me have places, Rice-(cries Mifs)--tonight, Yet, what's the play?-The Lawyer-Oh the fright! Aug. 28. This evening a new Prelude, called THE GREEN-ROOM, was performed at the Hay-market theatre, and well received. As this little piece is a mere benefit butterfly, we fhall not attempt to break it on the wheel of criticifm. The title fufficiently fpeaks its purpofe; it chiefly confifted of a converfation in the Green-room of a theatre, in which there is fomewhat to laugh at, if not much to derive in ftruction from. In the courfe of the fcene, an Irishman fpeaks the famous LOND. MAG. Sept. 1783.

Had't been The Officer--for they defpife
All lars but honour-and the ladies yes!"
"The Lawyer-(cries Theatricus)--a treat!
A roafted lawyer is delicious meat!
Cut cut him up, lance him in ev'ry vein--
All cant and cunning, trick and low chicane."

Thus each forettail'd the promis'd new repast,
And form'd a difh that fuited to their tatte:
Our author's plan, indeed, of different hue,
He knew the fympathetic heart would melt,
Remain'd to be approv'd-or blam'd-by you.
And mourn thofe evils which it had not felt;
With forrowing fancy figh; and o'er the bir
Of mournful fiction thed the real tear.

Hail, facred fcience, whofe true-painted woe,
Bids the pure it ams of genuine feeling flow:
Whole hallowed impofition (heav'nly art!)
Softens, expands, improves the human heart,
To this the drama took its earliest bent,
Gave life to fable, tongue to fentiment;
Prefenting nature in her various courfe.
To pathos action, and to paffion force;
It from his beft intent he is milled,
Applaud the beart-tho' you condemn the bead.

foliloquy of Cato with many humourWewitzer, in the character of a Frenchous digreffions from the original; and man, gives a pleasant idea of Monfieur Texier's mode of reading French plays. After the prelude, the comedy of The ENGLISH MERCHANT was prefented, in which Mifs BANNISTER made her first appearance on the ftage, in the character of Amelia. This young lady poffeffes an agreeable perfon, and an expreffive voice. In features the nearly refembles her brother, and promifes

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