IN my last paper, I adverted to the nature and property of solar light, confining my observations more particularly to the different coloured rays of which it is composed. I now proceed to consider some of its remaining properties.

The amazing velocity of light has been treated of in a former paper; and therefore I need here merely remark, that this fact was first demonstrated by Roemer, a Danish philosopher, who proved that it requires about eight minutes to pass over one half of the earth's orbit, consequently, that light moves at the rate of 200,000 miles in a second. Notwithstanding, however, this astonishing velocity of its particles, their momentum is not so great as to discompose the delicate texture of the eye; and when a considerable quantity of its rays are collected in the focus of a powerful burning-glass, they are not capable of communicating the least motion to the thinnest laminæ of metal (gold leaf for example) which can be exposed to their impact.

The wonderful divisibility of the parts of matter is in nothing more apparent than in the minuteness of the particles of light. This divisibility of matter in general, may indeed be mathematically proved to be capable of being carried on ad infinitum; but though we are constrained to admit the possibility of the fact, yet we cannot form any just idea respecting it. The same difficulty of apprehension will at tach to the minuteness of the particles of light but still it has satisfactorily been shown, that a single inch of candle, while burning, is capable of giving out particles to the amazing number of 269,617,040, with forty cyphers annexed; at which rate there must issue, during one second of time, a number of particles "vastly more a thousand times a thousand million times the number of sands which the whole earth itself could contain, provided the whole were solid."

How near those particles are to each

other which constitute a ray of light, cannot with any accuracy be determined. If a burning stick be made to describe a circle by quickly turning it round, the whole circumference will appear luminous; which shows that the impression made by the light upon the sensorium, when the stick is in any one point of the circumference, remains till the burning part of the stick returns again to the same point. Now it has been found, that if the revolution of the ignited body be performed in 7"", (or seven sixtieths of a second,) the whole circle appears luminous: that is, if the particles succeed each other at an interval which does not exceed that time, constant vision is produced; and since light passes over more than 22,000 miles in 7", if the distance of the particles be not greater than 22,000 miles, they are sufficiently contiguous to answer the purposes of constant vision. Newton supposes that the impression continues about a second of time.

Light, when it comes in contact with bodies, is not only capable of entering into them; but likewise of remaining within them; and, in many cases, the light thus absorbed may afterwards be extricated without its having underMr. Canton gone any alteration. made some ingenious experiments on this subject. He calcined some oyster-shells in a good fire for half an hour, and then pounded and sifted the purest part of them. Three parts of this powder were mixed with one part of the flowers of sulphur, and rammed into a crucible, which was kept red hot for an hour. The brightest parts of the mixture were then scraped off, and kept in dry well-stopped phials for use. If they be exposed for a short time to the rays of the sun, they will thus acquire the property of emitting light in the dark, so as to enable a person to distinguish the hour on his watch. After some time, it ceases to

To calcine is to burn in the fire to a cals, or substance equally reducible to pow

der.

shine, but recovers its property on being again exposed to the light. These facts are curious, but we are not aware of any practical benefit which can result from their discovery. The substance formed as above, is termed pyrophorus and sometimes solar phosphorus.t

Light not only enters into bodies, it also combines with them, and forms one of their component parts. It has been long known, that different kinds of meat and fish, when they are beginning to putrefy, become luminous in the dark, and of course give out light; this is the case particularly with the whiting, the herring, and the mackerel. This phosphorescence of fish and animal substances was first investigated by Canton, who has furnished a number of interesting experiments. The subject, however, has been more fully entered into and extended by Dr. Hulme.

If two drams of the flesh of herrings be put into a dram of sulphate of magnesia, (Epsom salts,) on the second evening a ring of light will be perceived round the top of the liquid, but it will still be dark below, but on shaking the phial, the whole will become beautifully luminous. On the third night, the light rises again to the top, but the ring is not so luminous as on the preceding night, nor the whole mixture after shaking it. Sometimes the light disappears entirely on the third evening. A similar experiment may be made with sea-water. In this case, on the second night the liquid is dark, on the third lucid, on the fourth very luminous, on the fifth it begins to decline, on the sixth diminishes still fur

t Baldwin's Phosphorus, a similar composition, may be made as follows. Put some dry nitrate of lime into a crucible, and place it in a clear fire, and let it remain in a state of fusion for about ten minutes; then pour it out into a warm iron

vessel and it becomes solid; break it into pieces, and inclose them in well-stopped phials. Expose these phials to the direct rays of the sun for some hours, and when taken into a dark place they will give out a considerable quantity of light. If muri ate of lime be taken instead of nitrate, and treated in exactly the same manner, a similar effect is produced. This latter substance is termed Homberg's Phosphorus.

ther, and on the seventh entirely disappears. At this period, however, neither the flesh nor the liquid have any smell of putrescence. Similar appearances took place by the same treatment of mackerel.

But the property of emitting light is not confined to either these solar pylophori, or to the pyrophori made by solutions of animal substances. There are also living pyrophori; such as the glow-worm, lantern-fly, and many other insects. The luminous matter of the glow-worm is a liquid secreted and retained in the lower part of the abdomen. If the fluid be squeezed out, it still retains its shining property, and may be spread upon the palm of the hand, but in this state it soon disappears. The light is most vivid when the creature is in motion. Its luminous appearance, however, is at all times interrupted by periods of either diminished light or total darkness. In its most vivid state, the colour of the light emitted is of a bright yellow or orange.

Many sensible effects are produced on bodies by the absorption of light. Plants, for instance, may be made to vegetate tolerably well in the dark; but in that case colour is always white, they have scarcely any taste, and contain but a very small portion of combustible matter. In a very short time, however, after their exposure to the light, their colour becomes green, their taste is stronger, and the quantity of combustible matter is considerably increased. Celery, for example, requires to be covered with earth, in order to its becoming an article suitable for food; for by this means the light is excluded, which would very soon turn it green, and would make its flavour so strong as to render it unfit to be eaten. A strong attraction of affinity is observable between light and living vegetables. This fact is familiar to those who have placed trees in windows, for they always lean towards the light. This would be still more observable by wholly confining them in a dark room, into which light was admitted only by a small hole: they would first turn and then grow towards it, until they should be able to get though it into the open light.

ter luck still.' Touch the bell, Dick Wills." 6 Aye, aye,' says Dick, rattling the poker and tongs together. "Landlord, (said Ben, as he enter'd,) it's a sad heart as never rejoices; and so, d'ye see, having received a present of rhino from an old friend, why bring us in a bucket of flip for all hands." " This was extremely welcome, and very gratefully acknowledged. The flip was brought. "And now (says Ben) I'll tell you a rum story, that happened about twenty years ago this very day. Why aye, that was one of the rummest rigs that ever I seed; zounds, it put all Portsmouth in a mutiny !"Hoot, hoot! (said old Hameish,) dinna mak twa bobs at a cherry, mon, but gie's the account, and let's hae it wi' muckle glee; only bearing in memorial that 'tis ane o' the rules of this Saucyation that nae ane is to indulge i' the flights o' fancy, vulgo a lie, without its being barefaced, in contradistinction to the naked truth. Be aisey, Hameish, (says Teddy.) and don't make a both eration. How can he lie while he sits? And as for lying at full length, och don't mention it-he'll never do that again. Isn't he getting as straight as a ram's horn? Arrah, Ben, my darling, get on, and don't stop; do the thing dacently-begin in the middle, and make both ends meet.' "Why, d'ye see, (says Ben,) it was that 'ere time when most of the channel fleet were at Spithead, and liberty-men were ashore every day. Well, the old Barfleur was going to be paid off, and what does we do, but determined to have a grand sheave-o before all hands separated. So we sends despatches to Fareham to have a good dinner ready for us New Year's Day, with oceans of grog and mountains of bacca; and so we muster'd that ere morning to the number of sixty or seventy, some on horses, some on donkeys; and as for chaises and gigs, there was a pretty set-out. Well, we weighed with a foul wind from Capstan-square, and after making a great many tacks, hove to before the Admiral's, and saluted him with three hearty cheers. Harry Cole was mounted on a Jerusalem poney, that backed astarn right through the window of a pastry-cook's shop. There was a dish of flummery, pies,

and tarts, rolled in all directions; it soon made a-bun-dance among the small fry-barbers and sweeps, bricklayers and tailors, my eyes! there was precious work! Well, old Harry dismounted, and taking his hanimal on his shoulders, walks deliberately out, and sets him down in the street, ordering 'em to send in their bill, and he'd make good the damages. At last we clear'd the town, and formed the order of sailing in two divisions. Black Jackson, the captain of the main-top, commanded one, and Jem Crampton the other, and the wind coming favourable, the signal was made to crack on all sail. It was a fine sight to see the small craft scud out of our way, and the road was lined with spect-tatoes to gaze at the fleet. Well, d'ye see, Tom Butt-you remember Tom Butt, a comical crojack eyed fellow, as dry as a biscuit when he was well soak'd? Tom Butt had got a dull sailer, that wouldn't answer her helm, and so he and Jack Moberly, whose craft was every bit as bad, were left astern. Tom, thinking she was out of trim and too much by the head, gets out of the saddle, and shifts ballast farther aft; that was worse, for his vessel luft right up in the wind, came athwart Jack's bows, and capsized him in an instant; but that warn't the best of it: however, we had a glorious day, and next morning toss'd up our anchors for Portsmouth. Well, poor Jack Moberly was taken before the Mayor by the rogue of a landlord that hired him the horse, and all hands attended as witnesses; indeed it made such a kick up, that hundreds were in attendance outside the court. Jack, his face plastered and patch'd in all directions, was put to the bar, the landlord on his right, and Tom Butt on his left. Well, what is your complaint?" said Sir C-ter. Why, please your worship, I hired this here fellow a horseFellow! (says Jack) who do you call fellow? I've got a collar to my shirt as well as you. Don't interrupt him, my friend,' said the mayor. There, (replied Jack, slueing round to landlord,) doesn't his honour call me friend?--and shiver my old tarry trowsers if I won't be a friend to your worship as long as you live.'

• Well,

well, let the man go on.'

So I hired bim a horse.' That's a cracker (says Tom Butt) as how it was no more like a horse than your honour, but a broken-back'd rattle-trap ould mare; and, belike your worshipI must insist on one speaking at a time, (said the mayor) and first let me hear the man's complaint.' Why, please your worship, they hired my mare, as capital a roader as ever was backed, thof I say it myself; she cost me-But that has nothing to do with the concern!' exclaimed the magistrate. No, your worship: Well, yesterday they brings her back again, both knees broke, and her face cut to pieces, and so I threw her on his hands, to make good the loss, but they refuse to satisfy me.' What do you estimate the worth of the beast ?' Thirty pound, your worship, and little enough too." Well, my friend, and what have you to say to that?' 'Why, if you pleases (says Tom Butt) I'll overhaul the whole matter, for my messmate is rather taut bound about the upper works. Let me hear it then as quick as possible.' Why d'ye see, we met to have a bit of a jollification, as all hands were going to be drafted into different ships. Well, your worship, the fleet weigh'd from the town, and the commander in chief made the signal to make all possible sail, and so they crack'd on, that I and Jack here were left hull down astern. Well, your honour, being willing to drag up with the rear squadron, we carried a taut press, but a sudden squall threw us slap aback, and Jack's vessel being crazy and leaky withal, turned the turtle with him, and, sure enough, stove in the animal's bows, and carried away part of Jack's cutwater, and sundry other damages. Well, 'twas a blessed thing that the squall did happen, for the fleet were obliged to shorten sail; and so some an 'em was ordered to take him in tow. As soon as the rain abated and the wind lull'd, they carried on, and got to Farehamn in good time. Jack Tempest made sail to the doctor's for six yards of plaster, and so we parcell'd and woulded the shiver'd parts in both the beast and my messmate, giving 'em a good lick

of tar; and then we brought him to a court-martial for losing his ship, but after a close flistigation of the case, he was honourably quided, for it was fully' At this moment there was a terrible rookery and noise outside the court-See what's the matter there,' said the mayor. The hubbub continued, and the officer returned with a report that it was some sailors had brought another witness. Let 'em come in,' says the magistrate. The doors were opened, and in came Joe Jarves, leading the ould mare. My eyes! there was a bobbery. The animal was strips of plaster from stem to starn, and looked in a state of starvation. I dare say the crows always followed her. Howsomever, Joe begins-'Look here, your worship, my messmate is in limbo for breaking this here creature's knees; now I say she ought to be clapp'd in limbo for breaking my messmate's face, for that ere genus there said she had been over the road hundreds of times; now Jack had never steered that course before; which ought to know best, your worship? But to prove the roguery of the thing, look, your worship, one bridle-port is fast jamm'd and bolted in her head, and the other hasn't been opened since. Then she had an ugly knack of stopping, and swinging one leg all manner of ways, like a dog-vane in a calm, We offered to make reparation, but he wouldn't agree to it, and swore he'd bring a civil action against Jack for the recovery of the beast. Whether this is a civil action to clap Jack in limbo I leave to your worship to judge; and as for the recovery of the creature, didn't we try all we could to recover her? Didn't we fish her game-leg and do the needful,and hasn't she had strong beer to drink, while all the rest had water? and didn't we bring her home in a coal-waggon, riding all the way? and if that warn't enough to recover her, why she'll never be better.' Old Joe's appeal, and the sight of the mare, did the business; we were ordered to pay five pounds and the doctor's bill, and then all hands adjourned to the Sally-port, where we drank success to the ould mayor of Portsmouth and the ould mare of Common-hard.

AN OLD SAILOR.