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In A. D. 220, frost for 5 months.-Ip 250, Thames frozen 9 weeks.291, the rivers frozen 6 weeks.-359, severe frost in Scotland 14 weeks.508, the rivers frozen 2 months.-558, the Danube frozen over-695, Thames frozen 6 weeks, and booths built on it.-759, frost from 1st Oct. to' 26th Feb. 760.-827, frost in England 9 weeks.-859, carriages used on the Adriatic Sea.-908, rivers in England frozen 2 months.-923, Thames frozen 13 weeks.-927, frost 120 days, began Dec. 22d.-998, Thames, frozen 5 weeks.-1035, a severe frost June 24th, the corn and fruits all destroyed.-1063, Thames frozen 14 weeks.-1076, frost in England, from Nov. till April.-1205, frost from Jan. 15 to March 22.-1407, frost for 15 weeks.-1434, from Nov. 24 to Feb. 10, Thames frozen down to Gravesend.-1683, frost for 13 weeks.-1708-9, a severe frost all over Europe, except Scotland and Ireland.-In 1715-1739-1742-1754, and 1776, severe frosts in England.-1788, Thames frozen and booths erected on it.Encyclop. Perthensis.

Notices of New Publications.

MR. CHARLES TURNER, Author of "The Orphan, and other Poems," intends, on the 22d of this month to publish, for the Entertainment and Improvement of Youth, embellished with four wood cut Engravings, by Berryman, an interesting Tale, entitled “THE PARSONAGE.'

Review of Scientific Books.

Lunar Observations, denoting the Influence of the Moon on the Winds, by her Impulse on the Earth's Atmosphere, &c.-By Sol. G. Da Costa, pp. 51.

THIS truly ingenious and useful little work was put into our hands too late in the month for elaborate observation. We have, however, read it with the attention a pamphlet of so much importance requires, and do not hesitate to say, that the observations of the author are consistent with reason, and that great public good may result from the circulation of them. We therefore recommend the perusal of the book, not only to those who know how to appreciate the value of the noble sciences it treats of, but to readers of a less learned description, particularly those whose constant occupation it may be to plough, either the world of waters, or the soil of their lands. The pamphlet is addressed to earl Stanhope, to whom he says

"The object of the following pages is to illustrate the fact that we live in a sublunary world;—the elements clearly tell us so ;-the animal economy governed by those elements proclaim it ;-and, however paradoxical it may seem, the earth sensibly proves herself to be immediately under the agency of her own satellite; but with an innate spirit peculiar to an inhabitant of the only spot on the surface of the earth where despotic sway must come under revision, under whatever form it may appear, your lordship has boldly disputed this foreign ascendancy on our birthright—air and water-in the construction of a vessel that shall sail and make way against

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both wind and tide. I trust I may fairly call upon your lordship as the only authority capable of explaining to the world how this wonderful phenomenon of the lunar influence may be more clearly understood. Congratulating your lordship on the success of your experiment, I hail the grati fication it will afford me (if your lordship will condescend to take up the subject), should my discovery be introduced to public notice through your lordship's countenance. I shall consider myself as truly fortunate, if having led to the unfolding a seeming mystery of Providence, assisted by your lordship's more enlarged comprehension, I may have laid the basis of" we should say, opened an avenue for, some new ray of light to a subject so interesting and useful."

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Mr. Da Costa opens his subject by stating,

"On my homeward voyage from Jamaica, better than four years ago, when off the chops of the Channel, the wind due east, blowing strong, we took soundings, which continued at least twelve days; but, before the whole of that time, our captain declared he would rather have been where he was a week before coming there, than in the situation he was then in and that, had he known what wind he should have had, he could have well avoided the delay he then suffered; adding, that his hopes rested on the change of the moon, which was just approaching to the full.”

As the ingenious author is a foreigner, we would not be severe upon him; but, certainly, a more attentive observance of the idiom of the English language would have made the above paragraph something less obscure. He thus proceeds :

"At the third day of the change the wind shifted to the south-west, when we proceeded up Channel. The circumstance, as just stated, made a strong impression on my mind, and gave me the idea of first conceiving, that if it rested with the moon to produce a change of the wind, something might be discovered in the appearance of the moon to denote that change. I also thought that if such indication could be understood, a very great advantage to navigation might be achieved; and, with this sole object in view, I have ever since unremittingly observed the moon through all her lunations, and have at length arrived at such conclusions as my firm belief will warrant me in asserting, are unerring."

He afterwards states his persuasion, that he has attained a step higher than any who have devoted their entire labours to the study of astronomy, to be so strong, as to make him impatient to communicate his discovery; that he has, therefore, resolved on publishing it for the benefit of the human race, and with the hope, that his country and posterity will render it the justice it is deserving of.

In looking over this pamphlet, when we came to the bottom of page 21, which will be quoted hereafter, we with some difficulty kept our risible faculties in due subjection, while reading of the different position of the head and limbs of the man in the moon ; of poking his head under a shroud of moonshine; and of his being adorned with spots on his shoulders. Upon exercising our reason, however, we found abundant cause to admire that which, at the first glance, we were inclined to laugh at.-R.

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FEBRUARY 1811.

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MARCH 1811.

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