"2. Perfect, hexahedral prifms. These fometimes appear aggregated by their lateral planes round a common axis, forming a kind of cylindrical aggregation with a conical fummit. "The lateral planes of the cryftals are fmooth, and refplendent "Internally it is refplendent, or fhining. "Poffeffes almost every kind of luftre, even the metallic. "Fracture moft commonly foliated, with a fingle passage of the folia, and generally curved, fometimes undularly curved; feldom broad-ftriated, and then partly-parallel, partly fcopiform or ftelliform-diverging. The internal furface of broad-ftriated mica is plumiformly streaked. "Fragments tabular. "Maflive mica confifts of granular diftinct concretions, of every degree of magnitude; fometimes alfo it evinces a difpo fition to the columnar. "In maffive fpecimens weakly translucent at the edges, but in thin tables femi-tranfparent or transparent. "It is foft, yet nearly approaching to half-hard, "Rather brittle, "In general very eafily frangible, "In thin tables elastic flexible, "Feels smooth, yet meagre, and "Without coldness, and "Is rather heavy, yet approaching to light. Specific gravity 2,6546 to 2,9352-Brisson "Common talc.-Colour moft ufually greenish white, alfo pale apple-green, both clofely verging on filver-white; more rarely afparagus, or leek-green, reddish-white, or yellow. "Found maffive and interfperfed; feldom in cryftals, which apparently are very fmall hexagonal tables indiftinctly aggregated, and forming drufen. "Internally fhining, and almoft refplendent. "Of a perfect mother-of-pearl luftre, fometimes approaching to metallic. "Fracture foliated, with a fingle paffage of the folia, straight or curved; frequently undularly curved; fometimes feeming to approach to flaty.. "Fragments tabular. "It is commonly without diftinct concretions, but fometimes confifts of the granular, of every degree of magnitude; a very rare variety is that composed of the long and curved columnar. "Varies from translucent to femi-tranfparent, and in thin tables is tranfparent "Is very foft, and fofter than fpecular gypfum. "Sectile, "Eafily frangible, "In thin tables common flexible, Feels very greafy, and "Rather "Rather cold, and "Is rather heavy, being heavier than flint, and lighter than fluor. Specific gravity 2,7 to 2,8-Kirwan 2,729 -Chaptal. Specular gypfum.-Is commonly found white, as fnow, yellowish, or greyish-white; fometimes yellowish, afhes, or fmoke-grey; as alfo honey-yellow, fometimes partly paffing into brown. Seldom shews an iridescent play of colour. "Generally occurs maffive; frequently alfo cryftalized. "1. In nearly equi-angular hexædral prifms, with two oppofite broad and four narrow lateral planes; both extreme planes bevelled, and the bevelling planes obliquely fet on the broad lateral planes, yet thofe of the one bevelling parallel to thofe of the other. This crystal has on the whole a rhomboidal appearance. Inftead of bevelled, it fometimes feems acuminated by four planes, fet on the lateral edges. "2. In the fame prifms, but in which two and two crystals are aggregated by the two narrow lateral planes, hence producing twin-cryftals, and forming at the one extremity a falient, and at the other a re-entering, angle "3. In the fame twin-crystals, but in which the bevelling planes of each prifm being fet, not parallel to each other but diverging, on the lateral planes, re-entering angles are formed at both extremities. 4. In lenticular cryftals, which are partly fpherical, partly conical, and generally adhere to each other by their lateral planes, hence forming a kind of twin-crystals. "The cryftals No. 1. are fometimes found in ftelliform and fcopiform aggregations, and occur of almoft every degree of magnitude, from an uncommon to a very fmall fize, the former however are very rare. "In the prifms the two and two oppofite lateral planes, which form the more acute lateral edges, are longitudinally ftreaked; the remainder smooth. "The furface of the cryftals is partly refplendent, partly weakly-fhining. "Internally it is fpecularly-refplendent, in fome places alfo fhining, and in general "Of a common luftre, chiefly glaffy, feldomer mother-ofpearl. "Fracture partly ftraight, partly curved, fcliated; of one perfect and two imperfect paffages of the folia. The latter interfect each other oblique-angularly, and the former rectangularly. "Hence rhomboidal fragments arife, fpecular on two fides, but ftreaked on the remainder. "Malive "Maffive fpecular gypfum commonly confifts of grofs and coarse granular diftinct concretions; fometimes alfo of imperfect thick columnar, or lamellar. "It is always tranfparent, "Very soft, "Rather fectile, "Rather eafily frangible, "In thin tables flightly common flexible, and "Rings a little, "Feels meagre, and "Rather cold, yet lefs fo than talc, and "Is rather heavy, bordering on light. Specific gravity, 2,311 Kirwan, 2,322-Mufchenbrock, On this extract, it muft, in the first place, be observed, that agreeably to Profeffor Werner's own directions, (p. 216.) the moft effential and difcriminating characters of any foffil ought to be printed in a different type from the others, in order to ftrike the eye; yet neither in thefe examples, (which furely required fuch practice to be followed) nor in any of the others here given by Werner, or added by the tranflator, has this affiftance to the judgement of the reader been given. And we even doubt whether any mode of exhibition would have enabled a person, who did not poffefs beforehand some knowledge of the foffils here mentioned, to difcriminate them when they occurred to his view. Befides it will readily appear to the reader, that notwithstanding this author's nice difcrimination, and regular arrangement, the above defcriptions are far from being quite determinate and fatisfactory; for the colour, and almoft every other quality, is liable to vary through a vaft number of degrees, which must naturally perplex the ftudent; and what then must be the difficulty of determining the nature of an unknown mineral from a vaft feries of fuch defcriptions, whofe limits are so vague, and of courfe much interfering with one another? In the tabular arrangement of the generic external characters, and likewife in the alphahetical index, which are fubjoined to this work, the equivalent German names of colours, minerals, &c. are added to the English, Mr. Kirwan's denominations of the latter being adopted. Two plates, exhibiting the more fimple cryftalline forms of minerals, and their ordinary alterations are fubjoined, as an explanation of Werner's mode of defcribing cryftals. Thefe conclude the work, which feems to be nearly as well executed 66 executed as the nature of it would allow. We object however to many of the terms attempted to be introduced. Such as botriform" for botroidal, "liquiform" for that peculiar appearance which is affumed on cooling in circular veflels, by thofe metals which contract when they become folid. "Arrundated grains" feems alfo a most harsh, and needlefs innovation for roundifh, or rounded grains. ART. VIII. 12mo. English Lyrics. Third Edition. By William Smyth, Fellow of St. Peter's College, Cambridge. 149 pp. 5s. Cadell and Davies. 1806. IT T is but feldom that we have the opportunity afforded us of enlivening the former parts of our Review with a poetical article. We ftill retain fo great a fondnefs for our earlier habits and pursuits, that we are glad to do this when we can. But fuch is the refinement of the times, that fmooth and polished verfification is as common, as the diftinctions of real genius, originality of conception, force of fentiment, and brilliant imagery, are found but with the chofen few. The work before us, which has paffed through three editions, in a very short space of time, is marked with many of the characteristics of genuine poetry. It will not animate the reader with the fire of Gray, it will not always rival the lyric ftrains of Akenfide; but it has the eafe and elegance of Shentone, with fuperior vigour; it evinces true poetical tafle and feeling, and is diftinguifhed by many beautiful paffages, on which remembrance will love to dwell. Having faid thus much, nothing more feems neceffary, than to give one or two fpecimens in juftification of the opinions above advanced. VERSES Sent to a Lady with a Prize Carnation. "TO her, who fhall thy beauties know, With tafte to mark, with skill explore, Go, flower, in modeft triumph go And charm the maid that I adore Go envied flower, and whilft her eye Surveys thy form with critic care, And while fhe fmiles beftows, which I Would barter worlds with thee to share, In thine own hiftory, if thou canft, impart The thought I cannot fpeak, that glows within my heart. Thus Thus tell her, that in thee fhe views That I myself with happy pride, A ftem like thine could ne'er fuftain The driving wind, the beating rain; That wedded thus, fafe could thy gentle form Pour forth it's opening fweets, and mock the coming ftorm. Thus, fweet ambaffadrefs, from me Thus, beauteous flower befpeak the fair, And if the fhould the moral fee, (For more is meant than meets the ear) And if thou mark a truant finile, Quick o'er her bright'ning features fly, And if a vivid gleam, the while Fire the blue luftre of her eye; Ah! then, thou lovelieft flower! kind, faithful be,' "AWAY, ye grave, I war declare, She gives my thoughts eternal wing; Á world which no kind fun could warm, No fweet to please-no toy to charm; Where, mirth, were then they frolic gleams; Where wit, thy whims and gay effufions, And where, O Hope! thy golden dreams, Enchanting fmiles, and dear delufions. |