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on the 24th of January, 1770, the river was rather more muddy than ufual, and I allowed the water to ftand two days before I weighed it.

Its fpecific gravity was to that of rain water as 1,348,481 to 1,348,145; the difference being 336, or nearly 4073 of the whole. Its tafte was mild, cool and agreeable.

It made no change with the lixivium of tartar, or solution of fugar of lead; nor yet with galls, fyrup of violets, or acids.

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A gallon of it left upon evaporation only gr. 41% of a light brown fediment; which tafted evidently, though flightly, falt; and felt gritty betwixt the teeth.

The quantity of this refiduum was fo very small, that it scarcely afforded an opportunity of feparating the falt from the earth, or of trying any other experiments; and upon fome other evaporations of the water, taken up at half flood and half ebb, the refiduum was ftill lefs; fo that I looked upon any minute examination of them as trifling and infignificant.

On the 29th of January, 1770, I took a quantity of water from the river, at the weft end of the town, juft at the time of high water in a spring tide. The weather was then dry and remarkably warm for the feason, and the water much brighter than that which I used in the laft experiment; and I think had no brackishness difcoverable by the tafte: but it turned quite milky and precipitated, upon dropping in a little folution of fugar of lead.

A gallon of it left, upon evaporation, gr. 1977% of a light brown refiduum, which tafted very falt, crackled upon the hot iron; made an ebullition and white fumes with fpirit of vitriol, but no apparent change in fyrup of violets, and attracted moisture very fast.

Five grains of it were, by the hot iron, reduced to 4%, but increased again in weight fo faft, that I could not be fo exact as I could have wished.

After it was well washed in diftilled water, it left a dark grey infipid powder of calcareous and abforbent earth, which weighed

362

gr. 100

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The falt was entirely muriatic; and the cryftals, when viewed through the microscope, appeared as in the copper-plate.

The falt was in proportion to the earth as 3638 to 1362; fo that each gallon of this water contained 14% grains of falt, and 5 of earth.

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Obf. Though this water was manifeftly brighter than that which was used in the preceding analyfis, yet the earthy parts of it were more than the whole refiduum of the other; and I am fure that they were both collected and weighed with equal care: which fhews that the tides impregnate the water in this river with fomething more than falt; or the falt may probably be a means of uniting more earth with the water; but thefe fubftances are, in a very little time, either moftly carried away or fpontaneously precipitated.

468

Upon analyfing fome water, taken up in another spring tide, I only obtained gr. 12, from a gallon; but in very dry weather, when, perhaps, not one-third part of the fresh water comes down the river, an high tide may bring up a larger proportion of falt; as indeed is evident from the fpecinc gravity of the Tyne water taken

this day. But in general, or at least for above eight months in the year, it contains no falt, even at high water, that can be any way prejudicial: and when we confider, that from half ebb until half flood, or for upwards of feven hours out of twelve, there is fcarcely any perceptible falt in it, no reasonable objection can be made, upon this account, against supplying the town with it; as an engine might work, very well, above fifteen hours in the day; and in that time, with the greatest eafe, it might raife four or five thousand hogfheads to the highest part of the town.

The contents of this water are so small in quantity, and in their nature so very inoffenfive, that they are by no means worthy of confideration: and the other objections, which have been made to it, are equally trifling and infignificant. It has been faid that it gives both meat and linen a bad colour; fo will the Thames water, or that of almost any river in England, if it be used before it has fubfided; but feveral families in this town who keep it in proper cif terns make no fuch complaint, and fome of it which I have now by me, and which was taken up quite muddy, is as clear and bright as any water which I know. The force of the pumps, the conveyance through pipes, and the resting in large refervoirs, will all undoubtedly contribute to render it bright and pure. It is known to keep exceedingly good and fweet through long voyages, as it has been frequently carried to North America: and what is ftill a farther argument for the fupplying of this town with it, it is a fource which can never fail, and indeed the only one which can fafely be depended on: for the opening of new collieries, and the extending of old ones, often make ftrange alterations, in the courses of several fprings in this neighbourhood.'

ART. IX. The Fables of Flord. By Dr. Langhorne. 4to. 3s. fewed. Murray. 1771.

FA

ABLE is a fpecies of literature from which great benefit, and no inconfiderable degree of pleafure, may accrue to mankind. It is, as hath been juftly remarked, the most easy, winning, and engaging way of teaching; it furnishes the most proper and effectual means of infpiring men with a love of virtue, and hatred of vice; and it has frequently happened that the old and wife, as well as the young and inconfiderate, have reaped the advantages flowing from this mode of inftruction. The former will admire the important truths fo artfully yet fimply conveyed in thefe agreeable fictions, while the latter, who ufually look no farther than the furface and form of the vebicle, may not only find the pleasure they feek for, but, as they increase in years and judgment, will receive those folid and useful instructions which they never before thought of. Thus far with refpect to the idea of Fable, and its ufeful ten

• Obf. on this fubject, by Dr. Lamotte, 1742. REV. Mar. 1771.

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dency,

dency, in its original defign, and primitive fimplicity of conftruction. In later times its fphere has been confiderably enJarged; much drefs and ornament has been fuperadded; and the narrative and moral, which formerly were exhibited quite naked and unadorned, are, by our modern writers, clothed with the choiceft embellishments of imagination.

An ingenious but unknown writer, in a late fugitive effay, fpeaking of the performance before us, has very pertinently obferved, that, at first view, one would imagine the walk of apologue to be much too confined for a man of glowing fancy and elevated genius;' but when we confider that, in this department, Nature reigns in her richeft fplendor, and moft Juxuriant profufion,' prelenting not only all animal but • vegetable life to the poct's imagination, we then perceive the field enlarged, and that Fable no longer walks within the narrow limits in which we fancied her confined. She has the most beautiful objects of Nature to felect, affemble, and combine; aud when thefe can afford her no farther variety, he takes a still more comprehenfive view, and, comparing the vegetable and intellectual fyftem, the traces refemblances and allufions, before unnoticed and unfeen: thus, rifing in dignity and ufe, the illuftra es moral truths, by investigating the intentions of Nature in the different properties of her productions.'

Dr. Langhorne himfelf, fpeaking of the Fables now before us, in his prefatory advertisement, fays- The plan of Fable is enlarged, and the province extended,' in thefe poems; that to the original NARRATIVE and MORAL, are added IMAGERY, DESCRIPTION, and SENTIMENT;' that the fcenery is formed in a department of Nature more adapted to the genius and difpofition of POETRY; where he finds new objects, interefts, and connexions, to exercife her fancy and her powers.'He concludes the charter of Quidlibet audendi, the birthright of every poet, fufficiently authorizes the attempt of any new fpecies of writing; but by the judgment of the public it must ftand or fall.'

But, furely, our Author does not intend to perfuade us that HE is the firft bard who hath extended the province of apologue, and added imagery, defcription, and fentiment to the bare narrative and moral of the ancients! Have we not the fables of Fontaine, and others, in France, and thofe of Gay, Moore, &c. in England and have not thofe juftly applauded writers gained their great reputation' by fimilar improvements in this branch of literature?-Certainly Dr. L.'s claim of originality, with regard to his prefent production, requires fome qualification or explanation !

But, not to interfere too far in difputes between the old magpie and the new, let us proceed to give our Readers a fpecimen

of

of the entertainment they will meet with, if they chufe to call at the latter. We fhall firft felect

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FABLE X. The Wilding and the Broom.

In yonder green wood blows the Broom;
Shepherds, we'll truft our flocks to stray,
Court nature in her sweetest bloom,

And steal from care one fummer-day,

* From him whofe gay and graceful brow
Fair-handed Hume with rofes binds,
We'll learn to breathe the tender vow,"
Where flow the fairy Fortha winds.

• And oh! that he † whofe gentle breaft
In nature's foftest mould was made,
Who left her fmiling works impreft
In characters that cannot fade.

That he might leave his lowly shrine,
Though fofter there the Seasons fall-
They come, the fons of verfe divine,
They come to fancy's magic call.

"What airy founds invite
My fteps not unreluctant, from the depth
Of Shene's delightful groves? Repofing there
No more I hear the bufy voice of men
Far-toiling o'er the globe-fave to the call
Of foul-exalting poetry, the ear

Of death denies attention. Rouzed by her,
The genius of fepulchral filence opes
His drowsy cells, and yields us to the day.

For thee, whofe hand, whatever paints the fpring,

Or fwells on fummer's breaft, or loads the lap

Of autumn, gathers heedful-Thee whofe rites

At nature's fhrine with holy care are paid

Daily and nightly, boughs of brightest green,
And every faireft rofe, the god of groves,
The queen of flowers, fhall fweeter fave for thee.
Yet not if beauty only claim thy lay,
Tunefully trifling. Fair philofophy,
And nature's love, and every moral charm
That leads in fweet captivity the mind
To virtue-ever in thy nearest cares
Be these, and animate thy living page
With truth refiftlefs, beaming from the fource
Of perfect light immortal-Vainly boafts
That golden Broom its funny robe of flowers:
Fair are the funny flowers; but, fading foon

• William Hamilton of Bangour.

+ Thomfon.

And fruitless, yield the forester's regard
To the well-loaded Wilding-Shepherd, there
Behold the fate of fong, and lightly deem
Of all but moral beauty."

." Not in vain”.

I hear my Hamilton reply,

(The torch of fancy in his eye)
Tis not in vain," I hear him say,
That nature paints her works fo gay;
For, fruitless though that fairy broom,
Yet ftill we love her lavish bloom.
Cheered with that bloom, yon defart wild
Its native horrors loft, and fmiled.
And oft we mark her golden ray
Along the dark wood fcatter day.

"Of moral uses take the strife;
Leave me the elegance of life.
Whatever charms the ear or eye,
All beauty and all harmony;
If fweet fenfations thefe produce,
I know they have their moral ufe.

I know that NATURE'S charms can move

The spring's that strike to VIRTUE's love."

We fhall leave our Readers to determine how far Dr. L. has fucceeded in his imitation of Thomfon's ftyle. Perhaps he has more fortunately hit the free and eafy manner of Mr. Hamilton*, which feems to be nearly congenial with his own.

In the following piece the bloody rites of the Druid, and the miferable apathy and floth of the Anchorite, are displayed with equal horror and justice:

FABLE XI. The Miletoe and the Paffion-flower.

In this dim cave a druid fleeps,

Where ftops the paffing gale to moan;
The rock he hollowed o'er him weeps,
And cold drops wear the fretted ftone.

In this dim cave, of different creed,
An hermit's holy ashes reft:
The fchool-boy finds the frequent bead,
Which many a formal matin bleft.

That truant-time full well I know,
When here I brought, in ftolen hour,

The druid's magic Miletoe,

The holy hermit's Paffion-flower.

See an account of his poems, Rev. vol. xxiv. p. 162.

•The

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