though of the extent above mentioned, would not at all diminish the heat upon our globe, supposing the absolute solar heat to remain the same. For that obstructing body would not absorb and consume the heat it received, but would radiate it in every direction; so that there would be no absolute loss of heat. The only effect would be, an increase in its immediate vicinity, by the union of its rays with those which did not fall upon it; and a proportionate diminution as far as its shadow extended. This shadow would be a kind of cone, of a certain length, according to the diameter of the obstructing body, and its distance from the luminary. The heat beyond, that is, towards the earth, would be as great as if there had been no impediment, for it would have recovered its equability. A spot, one-twentieth of the sun's diameter, or about 44,000 miles diameter, if not rising higher than the sun's surface, would have no shadow at all. If this spot were in the form of a cube, and wholly above the sun's surface, and resting, as it were, upon it, the shadow, in this case, would only extend about 8000 miles; but, if in the shape of a globe, not half so far. This point, however, may perhaps be better illustrated by a more familiar example. Let us then imagine ourselves in a room where there is a fire twenty inches wide, and as many deep, and let us suppose a cubic inch of any opaque substance placed close to it, about the centre; this would bear nearly the same proportion to the fire that the spot observed by Gassendus did to the sun. Now can any one believe that the heat in the middle, or farthest part of the room, would be diminished after this substance was placed in that situation, especially after it had ceased to become hotter, and was of an equal temperature with the heat immediately surrounding it? There would, indeed, be rather less heat on the side of the obstructing substance farthest from the fire, though not extending the tenth of an inch; whilst the rest of the room would not be the least affected by it in any part. It is apparent then that the spots observed in the sun can have no influence on the heat of our globe, unless they could be supposed to diminish the absolute heat in the system. This, however, cannot be admitted. It is highly probable that the solar heat is a

substance sui generis, unlike any heat produced on our globe by chemical agency; and that a certain quantity of it was at first created, which has continued ever since, without either diminution or increase. This substance may concentrate about the sun more than about any of the other bodies in the system, not only on account of his superior bulk, but by reason of some peculiar attraction.

Having thus shown, to the satisfaction, it is hoped, of every unprejudiced mind, that the unfavourable season we have witnessed cannot have been occasioned by any diminution of solar heat, though we have certainly had less heat in this country than usual, let us inquire whether this diminution of heat be general on our globe, for, if not, that circumstance would of itself be sufficient to refute any argument drawn from the supposed influence of the spots in the sun. Now the fact appears to be, that while we have been complaining in this country of wet and cold, in Russia there has been a drought, which is enough to prove that this wet and cold season has been only partial. It is needless to inquire whether in the East Indies or Mexico there has been less heat than usual, or whether there has been a more severe winter towards the Antarctic Pole. Even here, this present month has been hitherto several degrees warmer than the corresponding part of the year 1813, a year not selected as being colder than others before or after it, but merely because the writer of these remarks happens to have in his possession a correct diary of the thermometer during that year alone.

We must look then for the causes of this wet and cold season, not to the sun, but to the earth itself. The removal of a considerable number of icy mountains, by tempestuous winds, from the neighbourhood of the Arctic Pole into more southerly latitudes in the Atlantic might occasion it. And it may have. been observed, that the rain has generally come from the West; and that we have had dry and warm weather as soon as the wind has shifted to the east or north-east; that is, when the wind has blown from Russia, where there has been a drought, it has been fine; but when from the Atlantic it has been wet and cold. And this wet seems to have been expended in passing over Eng

land, France, Germany, &c. and not to have travelled so far east as Russia. Yours, &c.

METEOROLOGUS.

Pit-place, Epsom, Jan. 6, 1816. MR. URBAN-Your correspondent, T. S. (vol. LXXXV. part II. p. 408.) mentions 'the marvellous account of Lord Lyttelton's death,' and wishes to see it authenticated.' Having bought Pit Place, where he died, I can give the following copy of a document in writing, left in the house as a heir-loom, which may be depended on. Having received much pleasure and instruction from your work for near forty years, I deem it my duty to assist, in however trifling a degree.

'Lord Lyttelton's Dream and Death' (see Admiral Wolseley's account.) 'I was at Pit Place, Epsom, when Lord Lyttelton died: Lord Fortescue, Lady Flood, and the two Miss Amphletts, were also present. Lord Lyttelton had not been long returned from Ireland, and frequently had been seized with suffocating fits. He was attacked several times by them in the course of the preceding month. While in his house in Hill-street, Berkeley-square, he dreamt, three days before his death, 'he saw a bird fluttering, and afterwards a woman appeared' in white ap

On

parel, and said, Prepare to die, you will not exist three days." He was alarmed, and called his servant, who found him much agitated, and in a profuse perspiration. This had a visible effect, the next day, on his spirits. the third day, while at breakfast with the above mentioned persons, he said, 'I have jockied the ghost, as this is the third day.' The whole party set off to Pit Place. They had not long arrived when he was seized with a usual fit; soon recovered; dined at five; to bed at eleven. His servant, about to give him rhubarb and mint-water, stirred it with a tooth-pick; which Lord Lyttelton perceiving, called him a

slovenly dog,' and bid him bring a spoon. On the servant's return, he was in a fit. The pillow being high, his chin bore hard on his neck. Instead of relieving him, he ran for help; on his return found him dead.'

In Boswell's Life of Dr. Johnson,' (vol. IV. p. 313.) he said, 'It is the most extraordinary occurrence in my days. I heard it from Lord Westcote, his uncle-I am so glad to have evidence of the spiritual world, that I am willing to believe it.' Dr. Adams replied, "You have evidence enough; good evidence, which needs no support.' T. J.

Intelligence.

work, to be entitled The Washington Museum, or Repository of Useful Arts: devoted to the purpose of diffusing that kind of knowledge which is calculated to promote the arts and manufactures of the United States: a large portion of the work being employed in selecting, and displaying in a brief and comprehensive way, the best subjects of the Patent Office. By a Society of Gentlemen.' We think the undertaking deserves to be patronized.

The Emporium of Arts and Sciences, lately conducted by Judge Cooper, is to be revived.

see, also, that there is hardly a shade of difference between his own account and ours. As to extensive advertising' and military despotism'-it is merely a difference about the meaning of the phrases. Great promises, extensively circulated-and military cen

tinels stationed on the ramparts of a college-certainly seem to merit the names we found it necessary to give them. That there exist religious jealousies unfriendly to St. Mary's, we do not see denied; that this college has had liberal donations, is not contradicted; and that the institution has declined, our respected Correspondent seems to take for granted.-After all, we only say that the reasons we gave have been assigned as the causes of its declension; and can the managers of its concerns undertake to allege, that such reasons have not had a disadvantageous operation on its interests?

We have not said, that there is, in St. Mary's, a spirit of proselytism to the Catholic religion; but we know, that Protestants have entertained such an opinion; and we think our Correspondent rather admits it. It has even been thought, that the grand object of this seminary, is, to promote the Roman Catholic religion;-an opinion which we do not say is well founded. We have not asserted that there is any literary deficiency in St. Mary's; and we were as much surprised at Mr. Buté himself, to find that we had given his place to M. Du Bourgh. With these remarks we submit a literal transcript of our Correspondent's letter. The Editors of the Analectic Magazine. GENTLEMEN,

In the brief account of the American Colleges,' inserted in your number for April, you hold yourselves 'personally responsible' for the correctness of such statements as could not be ascertained from references to well known authors.' A degree, indeed, of responsibility must be felt by sensible editors, when they introduce or admit in their publications, any fact or observation which may affect the character and interest of the institutions concerned. For the better discharge of that responsibility, so properly and candidly acknowledged in this very case, we offer you these few remarks, respecting St. Mary's College in Baltimore, to be added to the brief account, &c.'

1. The extensive advertising' or any other effort to render the institution 'popular' indecorously attributed to St. Mary's College, is, certainly, for those to whom it is well known, perfectly in contrast with that highly independant character which has constantly been one of its peculiar features. Its nu

merous friends have been uniformly, and still are, persons too respectable to have been so easily and so successfully influenced by mere inferior means and arts. If they have so zealously cherished and encouraged the institution it is because they have judged its real services worthy of their perseverant patronage. The insinuation has been strongly reprobated by them and the whole article considerd as greatly improper.

2. The account refers to 1806 at the epoch of a declension' of the college which, in the manner it is represented and explained, might rather be considered at its doom-Whilst the truth is that if the college could not fail to experience the same vicissitudes to which the most ancient establishments, and even those supported by their respective states are subject; if during the war, it must have particularly suffered, it has since prospered anew, and it now contains above one hundred students. As for the character of its pupils, St. Mary's, considering its time of being and its peculiar circumstances, has certainly returned to society its due proportion of useful and honourable members. Literature and sciences, the fine arts and the learned progressions have welcomed a considerable number of these pupils. Of the many who have embraced the profession of physic, two have obtained the gold medal given at each commencement of the faculty of Maryland to the graduate who produces the best Latin thesis. The diplomatic career has received many others; three young men of the five employed as secretaries during the negociations at Ghent, were pupils of St. Mary's; two others have also followed Mr. Pinkney in his legation. Seven of its graduates, within this year, have travelled to the universities of France and England, a circumstance which at least seems to evince that zeal for information with which they have been inspired, during their exercises at St. Mary's, and which it is so interesting for this country to see extensively promoted. Many of these estimable pupils belong to families so highly respected in these states that their name is, by itself, a kind of strong presumption in favour of the institution to which their education was intrusted.

3. Of that curious military despotism' of the gentlemen of St. Mary's we

leave their pupils, now dispersed in every part of the union, to bear the proper witness, or the readers, if they are the best informed, of the mild regulations and kindly temper of the institution, to judge for themselves. Few institutions, we believe, can receive more marks of esteem and affection from their pupils, than have been bestowed on their alma mater by those of St. Mary's-nor have the reverend M. Dubourg and his successors MM. Paquiet and Mareshal so far behaved as 'military despots' as not to obtain an uncommon share in the love of their youthful friends-the present head of the college will probably, after them continue, in its management, to steer between any excess of that discipline considered by the institution as so important to the welfare of the students, and any improper relaxation of it that might impair its usefulness.

4. That the reverend M. Dubourg, now the Catholic bishop of New Orle ans, is not now the president of St. Mary's, is sufficiently implied in the preceding remark; as for the name of the actual president of the other college, the author of the article betrays the same carelesness or want of exact information. The paragraph has been written ex professo to give the present state of the American colleges, these errors, particularly for institutions so near the place where it is published, are more remarkable. We take no notice of those which concern the other colleges mentioned in the brief account.'

5. The respectable patronage alluded to, belongs solely to the college of Georgetown, in the District of Colum

bia, chartered by Congress, and more considerable in many respects than some of those reviewed in the account, yet entirely omitted. Of the liberal contributions in like manner alluded to, scarcely any proof, we think, could be furnished-St. Mary's college may simply rely on the public esteem as long as it will deserve it. Rivalships, it entertains none; no institution was ever more free from intrigues or any petty arts of that kind-more exact to confine itself within the proper bounds of self-defence.

6. As for the religious jealousy' with which it is said to be regarded by a portion of the community, the gentlemen of St. Mary's may trust the liberality of the times for its limited effect besides the reproach would but be theirs, for we do not see why a literary institution would not have in Baltimore, its proper degree of respectability and usefulness, in the bounds of catholic clergymen as well as it has it in those of Arian clergymen in Harverd, or Calvinistical clergymen in Yale, as the brief account will have them to be in these most ancient and celebrated universities.

We abstain from further remarkswhether the errors of the paragraph concerning St. Mary's College were originally misstatements or mistakes is indifferent, and we ought not to suppose the former in preference, since any ill will to that institution could not have gratuitously influenced the impartial and uninjured editors; to offer the proper corrections was the only object of,

Gentlemen,

yours, &c.

In our last No.