of misconception of their sentiments, to address the public through the daily press: but a very large majority of the people may well content themselves with the expression of their deliberate conviction by their votes, at the day of election of their representatives and chief magistrates. In selecting these personages, they are not required by the widest latitude of republicanism, to suppose that "the commonest human intellect suffices for a perfect insight into the whole scene of civil policy, and qualifies the possessor to sit in judgment on the constitution and administration of his own country and of all other nations." According to this misleading creedone which by the way is too generally the one of political faith-"to be a musician, on orator, a painter, a poet, an architect, or even to be a good mechanist, presupposes genius, to be an excellent citizen or mechanic requires more than an average degree of Talent; but to be a legislator requires nothing but common sense." It unfortunately happens that claim is often laid to the possession of this last attribute, with a vehemence in the inverse proportion of a notorious deficiency of both talents and attainments; and he is extolled as a good practical man, an efficent legislator, one who will not be led away by theories, merely because he has uniformly shown himself to be incapable of lofty thoughts and powers of general reasoning.

Good Advice. In place of talking politics, and complaining of the hardness of the times, one had better work-work drives away want, and economy prevents its return.

There is no greater burden than that which a man imposes on himself by idleness and dissipation.

Never trust to the nostrums of quacks-they are so many poisoners, who, while receiving your money laugh in their sleeve at your credulity.

If you have the tooth-ache, go and see a dentist—and if you wish to avoid indigestion, live soberly.

Avoid law-suits. The best cause is, for the party concerned, a bad one. Justice is not rendered gratis in this world-so that although it costs a man a great deal who is in the wrong, it makes him also pay up roundly enough who is in the right.

Be not ashamed of your calling-all vocations are honourable, which are useful and followed with probity. No vocation dishonours a man, although by his misconduct he may bring disgrace on it.

Tobacco no security from Cholera.-M. Chevalier proved, from documents, that the assertion made on a former evening, that tobacco was a preservative against cholera, was erroneous. He stated that twenty-seven mechanics employed in the tobacco manufactories had died of the disease.

Prussic Acid a Poison to Vegetables.-The sensitive plant, when exposed to the vapour of prussic acid, instantly closes its leaves. The same plant, as well as other tender plants, such as the garden pea and kidney bean, when subject to the influence of this acid, quickly wither and die, and the laurel-water has the same effect upon them. It appears also that plants which naturally contain the acid, such as the cherry-laurel and almond tree, are not less susceptible of its poisonous action than others. Seeds, steeped for some time in the acid, lose their power of germination.

ARTS AND ARTISTS.

Architecture as a Science.-As a science, then beyond the rules necessarily imposed by the leading intention of durability, we detect, says Meemes, nothing in the architecture of Egypt like the universal harmony given to it in Greece. The same is the character of Indian art, with still more of incongruous union; for here the massive simplicity of the original, or at least earliest source, for so we have already shown Egyptian art to be, is broken down and loaded with frittered and pretending ornament. Syria, or the vast district lying between, furnishes nothing bejond conjecture, or rather in the only instance, that of Solomon's labours, where we attain some information on which implicit reliance may be placed-clear manifestations are discovered of mixed art, in which that of Egypt predominated. Thus, in the whole of the ancient world, about a thousand years before our present era, when the Greeks first, or soon after, began to erect temples, there existed no science complete in itself, or whose principles even had been elicited from the chaotic mass of materials, by which they could have been directed, in their own matchless monuments. Whatever of grace and of beauty-of dignity and truth-of sublimity and harmonious proportion,-whatever of architectonic excellence, grounded on the most profound principles of taste, and established on the sure basis of geometry,-whatever of all this can be discovered in the building of Greece, she owes it to the superiority of native genius. Yet the obligations to Egyptian predecessors were neither few nor unimportant. The rectangular area, in which the breadth should bear a proportion less to the length, a shape of all others best adapted to beauty and convenience, was introduced. A still less obvious source of almost every higher beauty in the science-columnar architecture was there practised so early, that whether it originated in the country, or was introduced, is unknown. Even the system of ornament may, in its rise at least, be traced in these primeval remains; for not a single detail afterwards introduced may not, in a rudimental, often nearly perfected state, be remarked; especially the beautiful idea of floral ornaments. Lastly, in the works of Egyptian art, very perfect examples of mechanical practice, both in dressing and laying the materials, might be observed in almost every instance. All these elements, however, the last excepted, jarring among themselves, whether as wholes or

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Notices and Advertisements.

parts, were to be selected, arranged, methodized, and animated by grace, harmony, nobleness,-in short, the science of architecture was yet to be created.

Imitation without Invention.-There is a painter in Naples, or at least there was one a few years back, named Ciappa. This man's talent consists in copying the paintings of the old masters, with such accuracy that the copy cannot be distinguished from the original, even when they are both together. He turns his ability in this way to good account-passing off, as we have been told, his copies for the celebrated originals. It is worthy of remark, however, that skilful as Ciappa is in copying, he has never, of himself been able to compose nor execute an original piece, or one of his own invention, in the least above mediocrity.

DOUGHTY'S CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS-With Illustrations. We have received the sixth number of the second volume of this instructive and amusing work, which combines more popular instruction on Natural History, with ornamental illustrations, than any other of the same price, of which we have any knowledge. On the same terms of a daily newspaper, or eight dollars a year, a person can have a volume of this work of Doughty's, consisting of 13 numbers or 300 pages 4to, fitted either to take a place on a ladies table or on the shelf of a library of a man of science.The coloured engravings, two to each number, or twenty-six at the expiration of the year, are equivalent to the subscription price of the volume. Those of the last or sixth number, are of the Eggs of twenty-five different birds, and of the Scarlet Tanager and Blue Eyed Warbler. We can hardly conceive of any gentleman, who looks at all to the augmentation of his library or to the rational amusement of his family, failing to subscribe to this work

THE PHILANTHROPIST.-This is the title of a new weekly paper, the first number of which was issued on the 17th October, in this city. It is published by Messrs Clark and Walter, 220 north Third street, at two dollars per annum. The subjects which will occupy the chief space in the columns of the PHILAN THROPIST, are Education, Sound Morals and Temperance, together with a summary of the News of the week. It is proposed to make the literary selections of such a cast that they shall combine instruction with amusement, and contribute to give to the PHILANTHROPIST the character of a pleasant family

paper.

***We have not been able, for want of space, to notice in this number a useful little work by Belinaye, on Hygine; nor Dr. Caldwell's very valuable Essay on Intemperance. We had marked for extracts—some interesting passages in the XV. Vol. of the Library of Entertaining knowledge, on Vegetable Substances used for the Food of Man; and in more than one of the Biographies of distinguished men-now on our table; all of which though postponed insertion, for the reason just stated, shall appear in due season, interspersed with the usual proportion of original hygienic and miscellaneous matter.

FOR SALE AT THIS OFFICE.-Gazetteer of North America, Journal of Health, 3 volumes, bound; Casket, 5 vols. bound; Catechism of American Law; Catechism of Health; Kaleidoscope; Class Books; Interest Tables; Testaments, &c. &c.-Together with a variety of superior Steel, Copper-plate and Wood Engravings, in small or large quantities.

THE JOURNAL OF HEALTH AND RECREATION-is published monthly at the rate of $1 25 per annum. Each number to consist of 32 pages 8vo. The work will contain numerous engravings in illustration of the subject matter. Address S. C. ATKINSON, No. 12 Hudson's Alley, Philada.

Of all our external senses "those tutors of the mind," sight is unquestionably the noblest and most important. It constitutes the connecting link, as it were, between man and the residue of creation. The rays of light, which minister to this sense, and concerning which, without it, we could never have formed the least conception, are among the most astonishing and wonderful of nature's works.. Of this we must be convinced when we consider their extreme minuteness, their inconceivable velocity, the regular variety of colours which they exhibit, the invariable laws according to which they are acted upon by other bodies, in their reflection, Inflection and refraction, without the least change in their original properties; the facility with which they pervade bodies of great density, and thickness, without crowding or disturbing one another, and without giving the least sensible impulse to even the lightest substances; together with the powerful influence they exert upon all organized beings.

The structure of the eye, too, with all its appurtenances, by which the light is made to convey intelligence to the mind; the admirable contrivances by which it is enabled to perform all its various movements, and the variety in the eyes of different animals, suited to their several natures, wants and modes of life, are all convincing evidences of the infinite wisdom and benevolence of the Creator.

If we could suppose an order of beings endued with every human faculty but that of sight, how incredible would it appear to such beings, accustomed only to the slow informations of touch, that by the addition of an organ, consisting of a ball and socket of an inch diameter, they might be enabled in an moment of time, without changing their place, to perceive the disposition of a whole army, or the order of a battle, the figure of a magnificent palace, or all VOL. IV.-G

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the variety of a landscape? If a man were obliged by feeling alone, without the aid of sight, to find out the figure of the peake of Teneriffe, or of St. Peter's at Rome, it would be the work of a life-time, and even then but imperfectly accomplished; but with the eye, it may be effected perfectly in almost an instant. It would appear still more incredible to such beings, if they were informed of the discoveries which may be made by this little organ in relation to things far beyond the reach of any other sense: that by means of it we can find our way over the trackless deep; traverse the surface of the globe, determine its figure and dimensions, and delineate its various regions: that we can even measure the planetary orbs, and push our discoveries into the sphere of the fixed stars. Would it not appear still more astonishing to such beings, if they should be further informed, that by means of this same organ, man can communicate with man, though separated by thousands of miles, and pour out to him all his thoughts as readily as though he were to converse with him face to face? That by the eye, he can perceive the tempers and dispositions, the passions and affections of his fellow creatures, often too, when they most desire to conceal them? That when the tongue is taught most artfully to lie and to dissemble, the hypocrisy is clearly painted on the countenance, to the discerning eye.

It is not to be presumed however that the blind, even from their birth are incapable of acquiring a knowledge of any science, even those most intimately dependent for their very existence upon the sense of vision. They may even make discoveries in almost every branch of philosophy. They may be made to understand as much almost as any other man, not only of what relates to the order, distances and motions of the heavenly bodies; but of the nature of light, and of the laws of the refraction and reflection of its rays. They may understand distinctly how those laws produce the phenomena of the rainbow, the camera obscura, and the magic lantern, and all the powers of the microscope and telescope. This is a fact sufficiently attested by experience. But still all this knowledge owes its existence, to the organ of sight alone. It is by the eye that the information was first acquired, though it is capable of being communicated to the blind through the medium of the remaining senses, which by constant use have acquired a delicacy and acuteness, that they seldom attain in those who are aided in their investigations by the sight. Every thing that enters into our mind by the eye, may enter into theirs by the ear, aided by the touch. Though the blind could never, if left to themselves, have dreamed of such a thing as light, yet they may be instructed in all we know concerning it. They would never, if left to themselves, have found out that there are such bodies as the sun, and moon, and stars; yet they may be taught all the noble discoveries which astronomers have made concerning their motions, and the laws of nature by which they are regulated.