It is by these that he has invented every mechanical art; that he fathoms the laws which govern the bodies by which he is surrounded; that he can deprive even the artillery of the heavens of its terrors; and that he establishes himself undisputed master of this planet and can we consider all these developments as unnatural?

But the "Association" are themselves aware, that their doctrines of the "natural," even as applied to water, will not hold good throughout. It is only pure water, free from all impregnations, that they recommend.

"Springs, in a clayey soil, generally yield hard water, unfit for several of the purposes of life."—"Marsh and pond water must necessarily be unwholesome, owing to the greater proportion of animal and vegetable matters, particularly the former, which they contain." Vol. i. p. 88.

And again:

"Distilled water, after having been exposed to the air, is the most salubrious of all drinks, and approaches more to the character of a panacea than all the drugs and compounds and nostrums on which this title has been, at different times, so impudently lavished. Its daily use, in measured potations, would do more real good in dyspepsia, as a means of relief in it, and of warding off hypochondriasis and the vapours, than is promised from all the wine bitters and tonics ever prescribed at apothecaries' halls."-" Sea water, subjected to distillation, furnishes fresh water-a discovery this of incalculable value to persons on board ship, when the regular supply is exbausted, after an unusually long voyage or unexpected accident. There should be, in every ship, an apparatus for distilling water, in case of distress. It consists merely of a head and worm adapted to the common boiler, so that distillation may go on while the victuals are boiling. More than eight gallons of excellent fresh water may be thus drawn off in an hour from the copper of the smallest ship of war."-p. 105.

Avast reading there! overhaul that article again! as old Trunnion says. "Distilled water," did you say? So that even water, as furnished in its most natural condition, must be subjected to the artificial process of distillation-that source of so much genuine misery-before it can be considered eminently fit for consumption. We pass over the extravagant nonsense on the effects of distilled water; and on the distilled sea water, we may merely remark, from experience, that no one who has tasted it will ever feel disposed to repeat the experiment; so that the ingenious scheme of Lind has been found to fail totally in practice, even under circumstances where, it might be imagined, it would have been highly successful. The Association assert that it produces "excellent, fresh water." As we said before, "there is no accounting for tastes." But is not the water, produced by such distillation, infinitely more artificial than wine? Can any thing be esteemed more simple and obvious than wine-making? If the juice of the grape be separated and set aside for a few hours, it ferments spontaneously, and wine is the result. Hence its early invention.

Tobacco, opium, and the whole class of vegetable and mineral

poisons, are natural productions-but it is idle to pursue the subject further. We have bestowed too much attention upon it already.

To conclude:-we have remarked upon the diminution of mortality that has taken place every where, especially within the last century. Why there should have been this extraordinary improvement, it is difficult to say. It may be probably referred to the more ample supply of food, clothing, and fuel; better habitations; ameliorated habits of cleanliness and ventilation, and improved medical practice.

The island of Great Britain has been, for upwards of a century and a half, exempt from those wide-spreading epidemic and contagious affections, which from time to time had spread gloom and desolation over the whole country. Some more efficient causes of exemption must exist than the quarantine regulations. These probably lie in the intrinsic circumstances just referred to. The surprising diminution in the mortality, within the last thirty years, is without doubt to be referred to the introduction of vaccination. There is, however, one cause peculiarly interesting to this community, and on which we must briefly dwell.

It is an old and prevalent opinion, that poverty is conducive to longevity; and that health is enjoyed to a greater extent among the poorer classes of society than among the rich. The very opposite to this is the fact, when accurate statistical information has been obtained. It has been clearly shown, that wherever misery prevails, there will be found the largest share of mortality.

M. Villermé, of Paris, whom we know to be an accurate and intelligent observer, has ascertained, than whenever the people have suffered from any cause, the deaths have correspondently increased, the births have decreased, and the mean duration of life has been shortened; whilst, in times of prosperity, the results have been directly opposite.

The inferences he draws from his investigations are:

1. That the mortality in France, and consequently the mean duration of life, is very different among those in easy circumstances, from what it is among the poor and destitute.

2. That this difference is so great, that in some of the wealthy departments, such as of Calvados, Orne, and Sarthe, the deaths are only 1 in 50; whereas, among the inhabitants of the 12th arrondissement of Paris, the proportion is 1 in 24, and a frac

tion.

The conservative tendency of easy circumstances, is likewise evinced in the inferior degree of mortality and disease among persons insured at the various life offices. We have stated, that in the Equitable Life Office, Mr. Morgan found that the actual deaths, which had occurred among 83,000 persons, insured dur

1807, he repaired to Madrid, in consequence of receiving an appointment in the admiralty-office, and continued in his post until after the invasion of Spain by Napoleon in the following year; but having taken part with the people of the capital in their combat with the French, on the 2d of May, in which he was wounded, he was obliged to make his escape to avoid being shot. He then joined the army of Gallicia, under Blake, and continued with it until the capture of Ferrol by Soult, where he was made prisoner, and, together with the rest of the garrison, officers and all, took the oath of submission to King Joseph.

This act he extenuates, on the ground, that, as he firmly believed that the time for resistance had passed, and that no efforts, could repel the invaders, it was preferable for him to do what would enable him to remain in his native country, and continue to entertain the hope of being useful to her, than to lay down his arms and spend the remainder of his life in captivity. The goddess of expediency, at whose shrine our hero seems occasionally to have been fond of worshipping, could certainly have had no right to complain of his disregard of her precepts in this instance. He makes a merit, however, of having continued faithful to the interests of Joseph, even after the latter had been overtaken by adversity, and had retired into France; but this constancy strikes us as not altogether reconcileable with the foregoing reasons for espousing his cause. It seems rather singular conduct in a patriot, to submit to the enemy because the tide of success is setting so strongly in his favour, that it would be futile to attempt to stem it, and still to continue with him when that reason no longer operates-it is a new method of serving one's country, that of siding with her foes, no matter whether from compulsion or choice, while fortune frowns upon her, in order to be of use to her when the goddess should smile; and then, when favourable indications do appear, to remain still an adherent of the hostile party. We do not wish to detract from any merit that Don Juan may claim, or to which he may be entitled, on account of his fidelity to the cause of King Joseph; we only wish, for the sake of his reputation as a consistent patriot, that he had not taken the oath of submission, no matter what might have been the consequences. We cannot help thinking, that when the man who aspires to the fame of a true patriot, is required to recognise an authority exercised in his country which he may deem an usurpation, or subversive of its interests, he is bound by every sentiment of honour and every principle to refuse compliance, regardless of the alternative. By consenting to do what is thus commanded, he commits not only an act which in itself is repugnant to the dictates of an honourable and elevated