selves deep in the ground, in nests formed for the purpose. Snails we know have the singular power of continuing in life for many years. The animals though kept in a cabinet perfectly dry, and apparently dead during the whole time, yet recover life when placed in circumstances favourable for it.

These hypotheses are ingenious; but how far ei ther of them are just, remains to be proved; one great objection however occurs to both of them, viz. if these animals did actually bury themselves, and remain in the earth during the dry season, it must happen that they would often be found in that kind of torpid state in the earth. In no country of the world is the surface mould more apt to be examined than in India, where the businefs of digging tanks is so generally and universally practised, on a very large scale; and as these tanks will naturally be dug in the hollow places, where the fish would most abound, it must happen that their nests would thus be frequently discovered during these operations, if such did really exist. But none of my informants had ever heard of any thing of this sort.

Another way in which we might suppose it pofsible that this phenomenon could be produced, is, that if fish by any accident should once be brought into these po ls, which we can conceive might happen in innumerable ways; and supposing the spawn of these animals, like the seeds of plants, or the eggs of insects, to remain without life until circumstances became favourable for their germinating, it might so happen that the spawn which was emitted immediately before the dry wea ther set in, being left deprived of the necessary mois

Sept. 19 ture during the dry season, might retain its germinating quality, so as to become young fish on the first fall of the rain, as the silk worm's egg in the northern parts of Europe hatches immediately on being exposed to the heat of the summer's sun. In this case nothing would be wonderful but the sudden, growth of the fish to a size fit to be eaten, in so fhort a time after the rainy weather sets in. But as we know that, even in Europe, the growth of a young salmon, at a certain period, is amazingly rapid when compared with most other animals, and as vegetation in India during the rainy season, far exceeds any thing we here experience, we can form an idea of animal growth being, in certain circumstances, proportionally rapid. According to this hypothesis there seems to be. nothing contradictory to the usual course of nature at least, and nothing that could be deemed to approach towards the miraculeus.

On this supposition, however, one difficulty requires to be removed. In this case it must happen, that when the pools of water are dried up, the fish which had not been caught must be found left dead upon the surface of the ground. And, in some cases, unlefs the natives be peculiarly afsiduous in catching them, these must then be thus found in considerable quantities. My informants took no notice of this

circumstance.

In fhort, we in Europe may form conjectures on this subject; but it is those who are in India only who can observe the facts. I shall therefore deem it

a particular favour if any gentleman in India, into whose hands this may fall, will have the goodness to

state the facts as distinctly as possible, and to explain the circumstances that may probably have given rise to the opinion, if it shall be found to be erroneous; or if it be true that fish be really caught in these circumstances, it will be accounted singularly obliging, if the kind, or kinds of fish, thus found, be enumerated, their size and natural history, as far as it is known, given; and, if possible, figures of these animals. It is highly probable that when all matters are fairly stated, much of what appears wonderful in this narrative will disappear.

IN

SIR,

MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS.

one of

This to

a M
Du

the Editor of the Bee.

Stirling

your late numbers we were favoured by your correspondent Albanicus with an elaborate negyric on professor Stuart's elements of the philofophy *of the human mind. The panegyric however was not more elaborate than juft; if Socrates was preferable to all his predecefsors in science, chiefly because he laboured to turn the attention of speculative men from obstruse inquiries, which few understand, and in which few were interested, to the business and manners of common life, much of the same merit belongs to Mr Stuart.. More than one of his cotemporaries perhaps may vie with him in profundity of thought, in accuracy of discrimination, and in beauty of arrangement; but I know not that I have ever read a metaphysical writer so generally intelligible, and so fraught with ingenious observations, equally instructive to the philosopher, the politician, the merchant, the mechanic, and even to the farmer. VOL. XI.

N

Among a number that might be selected, the following remarks on the effects produced on the memory by committing to writing an acquired knowledge,' appear to me to deserve the atttention of every reader of your useful miscellany.

The utility of writing, in enabling one generation to transmit its discoveries to another, and in thus giving rise to a gradual progrefs of the species, has been sufficiently illuftrated by many others. Little attention however has been paid to another of its effects, which is no less important; I mean to the foundation which it lays for a perpetual progrefs in the intellectual powers of the individual.

It is to experience, and to our own reflections, that we are indebted for the most valuable part of our knowledge; and hence it is, that although in youth the imagination may be more vigorous, and the genius more original than in advanced years, yet in the case of a man of observation and inquiry, the judgement may be expected, at least as long as his faculties remain in perfection, to become every day sounder and more enlightened. It is, however, only by the constant practice of writing, that the results of our experience, and the progress of our ideas, can be accurately recorded. If they are trusted merely to the memory, they will gradually vanifh from it like a dream, or will come in time to be so blended with the suggestions of imagination, that we fhall not be able to reason from them with any degree of confidence. What improvements in science might we not flatter ourselves with the hopes of accomplishing, had we only activity and industry to treasure up every plausible hint that occurs to us! Hardly a day

passes, when many such do not occur to ourselves, or are suggested by others; and detached and insulated, as they may appear at present, some of them may perhaps afterwards, at the distance of years, furnish the key-stone of an important system.'

To the truth and importance of these observations, the experience of every thinking person, in every station of life, will bear ample testimony; at least I must confefs that many hints have occurred to me, which, by having neglected to commit them at the instant to writing, I have now irrecoverably lost, and which yet I would give a great deal to recal. The profefsor, as was natural, instances particularly the improvements in science which might be expected from treasuring up every plausible hint which occurs, or is suggested to us; but I think it is obvious that equal improvements might be expected from the same practice in every useful art of life.

It is recorded of one of the most learned divines: and eloquent preachers of the last century, that his method of composing his weekly discourses was, after every sermon, to revolve upon the ensuing subject; that being done, to pursue the course of study in which he was engaged, and to reserve the clofe of the week for the provision for next Saturday. By this practice not only a constant progrefs was made in science, but materials were unawares gained into the immediate future week. For he said, be the subjects treated of ever so distant, somewhat will infallibly fall in conducive to the present purpose..

Were the farmer, the mechanic, the tradesman, c. to adopt a practice somewhat similar to this, it is not perhaps easy to be conceived how great im