"Previously to our arrival at Algiers," says Mr. Salamé, "they had heard that our fleet consisted of fifty sail; and then they said, Let them come; what can they do with their fifty sail? The Spaniards once came here with 400 sail, and 40,000 men, and they could not succeed against us.' They were, on this account, fully persuaded that their country was unconquerable; but at the same time the following curious circumstance took place: A magician came and presented himself to the Dey, addressing him in the following words: 'The Infidels will come here with so great a number of ships, that they will occupy all the bay from the northern to the southern cape; and they will take possession of the country, and destroy all your navy and batteries, and the city too; and they will kill great numbers of people, so that the blood will flow through the streets as water, and they will carry off an immense quantity of money and men. It will therefore be a great favour to me, if you will give me the wife and goods of that man, who certainly will be killed, (pointing at the same time with his hand towards the minister of the marine, who afterwards was beheaded by the Dey's order;) or you had better, perhaps, give me some of those green dollars which you have in the Hazné, or treasury.' "The Dey, on hearing this, was very angry with the man, and wished to cut his head off directly: but some of his ministers said, ' We had better keep him in prison, till we see whether his prophecy be true or not.' The magician then replied, I do not care whether you take off my head now or hereafter; I am sure of what I have said, and you will soon see the result of it."" He was immediately confined and put in chains. After the action, "I was told," continues Mr. Salamé, "that the inhabitants took him out of prison, considering him as a saint; and therefore they were going to build à separate temple for him, out of town." On the spirit of prophecy by which this magician was actuated, we presume not to speculate. But it is a well known fact, that the Algerines delivered to Lord Exmouth nearly 400,000 dollars, and were compelled by him to liberate upwards of 3000 slaves. The city of Algiers contained more than 20,000 houses, and 100,000 inhabitants. Of these houses Mr. Salamé observes, "I am sure that not one escaped without damage." Their navy also was literally destroyed, together with their storehouses, and part of their arsenal; and their batteries were nearly levelled with the ground. TO THE EDITOR OF THE IMPERIAL SIR, Ingenious Depravity," given in your As a counterpart to the instance of first number, I take the liberty to hand you an example of filial piety, exhibitYour's, &c. ed in a Chinese. TRUE BROTHERLY LOVE. F. W. IN the commencement of the dynasty The AN ANECDOTE. managing, I am not; and therefore had made his purchase. On hearing desire to die in his stead. Vouchsafe the account, and inquiring the name to admit my testimony." The com- of the culprit, he shook his head, saymissioner gave an account of the whole ing, “I am very apprehensive that he affair to the Court; and the emperor, has tricked you, even while under senat his solicitation, pardoned the cri- tence of death. For if it be the criminal. minal whom I suspect, he is not only sentenced to die, but also to be hung in chains." On hearing this, the surgeon repaired to the condemned cell, and soon had the mortification to learn, that the apprehensions of his friend were but too well founded. The miscreant had the effrontery to confess the fact; and, having spent nearly all the money, and being placed beyond the dominion of law, exulted in this final triumph of his detestable ingenuity. DR. Thomas Terry, who was rather an indifferent speaker, had acquired the strange habit of introducing his observations on almost every subject with "I say, I say." A lad, who had noticed this singular monotony, frequently took occasion to mimic the Doctor, and expose him to derision. Provoked at this unwarrantable liberty, Dr. T. cited him to appear before the Dean, in whose presence he accused him in the following words. "I say, I say; they say, you say, I say, I say I say. The lad stared; the Dean smiled; and the Doctor became irritated. The Dean, however, after giving the boy a gentle reprimand, was very glad to get rid of the parties. CONSUMMATE DEPRAVITY. A CERTAIN criminal, who, by repeated offences, had forfeited his life to the violated laws of his country, received sentence of death; and a day, which was somewhat distant, was fixed for his execution. The interim thus allotted him, he was exhorted to improve, that he might be prepared for that world of spirits which he was speedily to enter. The hardened villain, however, instead of attending to the admonitions of pious humanity, contrived to send for a surgeon, to whom he offered his body for dissection after his execution, for a specified sum, provided the surgeon would advance him the money immediately, that he might make himself, whilst he lived, as comfortable as circumstances would allow. The surgeon, assuring himself that no person could present a better title to the body than the wretch who offered to sell it, acceded to his proposals, and actually paid him the money, on receiving his signature to a written article, which was thought to be legal. After several days had elapsed, the surgeon hinted to a confidential friend, his singular bargain; and expatiated on the advantageous price at which he GENUINE DISINTERESTEDNESS. AN ANECDOTE. He THE circumstances of Metastasio, the Italian poet, were, at a certain period of his life, far from being affluent. During this time he was known at Vienna in no other character, than that of an assistant writer for the Opera, under Apostolo Zeno. contrived, however, to contract an intimacy with a gentleman of fortune, who dying shortly after, left him the sum of £15,000 sterling. No sooner was Metastasio in the possession of this wealth, than he repaired to Bologna, in search of some poor relations. Having discovered such as he thought the most deserving, he related to them the unexpected liberality of his deceased friend. He then observed, that" as he had bequeathed to him the whole of his fortune, he could only consider himself as an executor in trust, and that he should not be satisfied until he had made an equal division among them." This was accordingly done, without the least reservation in his own favour. AN ANECDOTE, RELATED BY DR. SYDAL, A PERSON of his College (Corpus when a Mapilla priest threw himself in his way, to give the king an opportunity of saving himself by flight. INTERESTING QUERIES TO CORRESPONDENTS. their countenances assumed an appearance which indicated that they doubted the fact. This the assertor perceived; but, to remove all their suspicions, he assured them, that if they would come to his chambers, he would demonstrate the truth of what he had A CORRESPONDENT has sent us a letter asserted. In a few days several per- from Chester, dated May 4th, 1819, sons went; when the learned gentle-containing some interesting questions, man, with much confidence, took out which we are requested to insert in the his compasses, and went to a large Imperial Magazine. In compliance map hanging up in his room. with his solicitation, we select what then first measured the dimensions we think the more important, and shall be glad to receive communications, which he may deem satisfac He of an animal that had been engraven by way of ornament, and then applying his compasses to the scale of miles exclaimed, "Look there, Gentlemen, this animal is at least three miles long, and there are others of greater dimen sions." SINGULAR FESTIVAL. tory. 1. What is the religious state of Europe, particularly France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy? Of other places, the correspondence of our Bible ComImittee furnishes a fair account. By the religious state of these nations, I Festival of Marnangen, celebrated on the do not mean to ask whether the major coast of Malabar. ACCORDING to an account of this festival, published by Mr. Hamilton in 1727, it was celebrated every twelfth year. He gives us to understand, that, when the ceremonies by which this season is distinguished drew to a close, it was customary for four men, who were willing to risk their lives in so daring an attempt, to attack the chief while surrounded with all his guards, who were armed, and prepared for his defence. In this attack, the death of these victims of heroic enthusiasm and folly, was almost inevitable. Their only hope of reward depended upon their actually reaching and killing the chief, in which case his vacant throne became their recompense. It appears from more recent accounts, that this bloody sport is still kept alive; but that the practice is less frequent than it was formerly; and to this, perhaps, the following incident may in some degree have contributed. About half a century since, a Zamorin who held the crown, was exposed to the most imminent danger, from the unexampled valour and prowess of a Nair chief, who daringly risked his life in the unequal conflict. Proceeding with invincible strength, resolution, and courage, he cut down, with incredible fury, every one who attempted to thwart his progress. this career of bloody glory, he had ascended some steps of Zamorin's throne, In part are Catholics, or Lutherans; but to what extent infidelity prevails, and what progress Protestantism is making among them. 2. What is the disposition of those in authority, towards the general circulation of the Holy Scriptures, in their respective provinces ? 3. Is liberty of conscience tolerated in any of these States? and to what extent in each? 4. Is the Inquisition exercising its malicious engines of cruelty and revenge in any of the continental dominions of Europe? of what kinds are its punishments; with what rigour are they inflicted; and to what extent? 5. What is the dominion of this horrid tribunal in the eastern and western hemispheres? Is the power of the Inquisition increasing or diminishing throughout the world? 6. What degree of attachment, or of dissaffection, prevails among the people towards their respective doctrines, and ecclesiastical governments? 7. Is there any work in circulation, on the accuracy of which I can depend for information, in reply to the preceding questions? An answer to any of the above queries, will, I doubt not, excite in the bosoms of many of your readers, a great degree of thankfulness to God, when they are led to compare their religious and civil liberties with those of other nations; and in none more so, than in that of your obedient servant, JUNIUS. Description of the British Facilitator, or Travelling Car, Invented by B. Smythe, Surveyor, Liverpool, January 25th, 1819. In the following explanation, the same letters in both figures stand for the same parts of the machine. Fig. 1 is the plan, and fig. 2 the elevation. aa are the treaders, upon which the whole weight of the body and the strength of the knees are exerted. bb are the large, and c c the small drum wheels, round which the straps e e must pass, for forcing the two hindmost wheels forward, by which the car is put in motion, and propelled forward at any required speed, according to the difference in the diameters of the four drum wheels, and the weight of the person conducting the car. ff is the small guiding wheel, on the forepart of the car, that turns within an iron frame, which moves on a pivot, passing through the foremost cross bar of the frame at gg. In guiding the car, this wheel is drawn either to the right or left by the strap ii, which passes through a sheave at the right and left extremity of the cross bar hh. The other end of the strap is fastened to the end of an iron rod, which moves on a centre, passing through the middle of the rest-board kk, as described in fig. 1, by the dotted lines. Fig 3 is a side view of one of the treaders, the sheave at o turns upon the bolt, whilst the open part of the treader moves backwards and forwards in the act of treading, so as to cause the cranks nn to turn the centres at every revolution of the crank wheel with more ease, and by which a fly wheel may be dispensed with. The two drum wheels upon the axle | ling over such as are diversified with of the two hindmost wheels are each hills and valleys. in two parts; the one part fixed, and the other loose in the centre, for the purpose of being thrown in and out of gear, by the means commonly used in ascending and descending the hills, the wheels having different diameters for increasing the power when ascending a hill, and lessening the speed, which may be more distinctly perceived, by observing the opening between the loose and the fixed drum wheels, p. p. fig. 1. Mr. Smythe having given the previous description of his car, and explained its various parts, in a manner which he hopes will be sufficiently intelligible, proceeds to examine such objections as he thinks may render the use of his invention impracticable. The objections which appear to him formidable, are only two in number; and these he states and meets in the following manner. 66 The second objection Mr. Smythe thinks will be urged on this ground, that "the labour constantly required, in stepping on the board to propel the machine forward, will be equal to that of walking over the same space in the same time." To this he answers as follows. By regulating the diameter of the two drum wheels, so as to give the two hindmost ones four revolutions for one of the crank wheel, the machine will be carried over the ground at the rate of eight miles per hour, while the traveller only steps as many times, at ten inches each step, as would be required for him to walk three miles in the same time. If any person should still consider this moderate speed of stepping as hard labour, I must refer him to those who are acquainted with the manufacturers of sailcloth. They will tell him, that their weavers support the whole weight At the first view of this machine, it of their bodies upon two narrow pieces may be conjectured, that an ascent of wood, during the whole day, withover steep hills will be extremely diffi- out much fatigue, and without more cult. This, in a certain degree, Mr. rest than will be had in this machine, Smythe allows; but he contends, that when resting the arms upon the board for this additional labour, the traveller for guiding the car. These are all the is amply repaid in his descent, since objections of any weight, that, accordhe may then sit at ease, doing no- ing to my view, can possibly be made thing more than guiding the machine, against the practical utility of the maand pressing with his feet on the tread-chine. I shall therefore leave it, with ing boards, to prevent the motion from the observations I have made, to the becoming too rapid. The difficulty of inspection of the public." ascending a hill, he observes, may in a great measure be obviated, by putting a small drum wheel on the end of the crank, and a large one on the axle of the two hinder wheels. This will enable the traveller to force the maIchine up the steepest hills, but his motion will be proportionably slow. On some occasions, it would perhaps be more advisable for the traveller to drag his car over very steep parts, as the change of position will give him a very different movement, and prepare him, like rest, for new exertions when he again mounts his machine. The advantages resulting from these changes, he illustrates by observing, that all who are acquainted with the labour of horses employed in drawing carriages, well know, although the muscular exertion of ascending a hill is exceedingly great, such is the compensation that variation affords, that many more horses are lost in regularly passing over long level roads, than in travel MEMOIR OF THE CELEBRATED MR. JAMES CRICHTON, GENERALLY DESIGNATED "THE ADMIRABLE CRICHTON." IN the preceding number of this work we introduced to the notice of our readers, some account of the Rev. Samuel Lee, now Professor of Arabic in the University of Cambridge. By Archdeacon Corbett, Mr. Lee has been compared to the much-celebrated James Crichton, who was, not without reason, considered as a prodigy of learning, and as the wonder of the age in which he lived; and it may be doubted, if another individual can be found, since the days of Crichton to the present hour, in the higher walks of learning, with whom the Professor could be so justly compared. As contemporaries with Mr. Lee, a few individuals may be discovered, a comparison with whom, would confer no disgrace on the learned Professor. But as |