The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-15 00:00:00

POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION.

- - _
In addition, to the usus.l en:erttintni•nts affoided at
this amusing and highly ins; mettle institution, the
m.,nagers have announced a course of lectures upon
Animal Migne,ism, by Mr. Jan.'s, of King's Coil. ge. TI e
first lecture of the series was delivered on Tuesday,
and we were glad to t,bserve that the theatre vi as
crowded. The lecturer introduced the subject by say-
ing, that after the itivesqgatien, which those whom he
had the honour of adires•ing had prob ,bly gum to the
varied and complete machinery dew!) stairs, it would
be his duty to introduce them to b we of the• opera.l-ns
of nature, which Teemed as it were to anticipate in a
more perfect way the inventions of man. The huu.an
being had, for instance, invented the rope for a variety
of purposes, and he no doubt considered thst in form
ing hemp into differen► strands, tor the purpose of
making a rope or a cable, a great deal h ,cl been act ma-
,dished—and no doubt a great deal had been accom
plished, for by means of these ropes they traversed
from clime to clime, on the one hand ; and to d•
see nd,
they executed the justice of the law on their unft,rtunate
and guilty fellow-creatures on the other. lie
would direct their atte ration fer a few m .meats to a

ina titlcrgati roe
amt.ladntfac
ililptr)ri.),
4;etr:)hch
ni;all ex
idar
forctthlild
seruthrpeoosethheer
would refer to the silkworm as oue great rnanu acturer
:end to the spider as another. The, machinery which
resulted from human ingenuity
details and defective in its arrangements ; but
very dill...rent was the machinery employed by
nature. The lecturer then proceeded to illustrate
by diagrams and other illustrations, the internal struc-
ture of the silk-worm, and the wise economy of nature,
as exhibited in the different changes of the insect into
the chrysalis and the after state. It is, however, im•
possible to convey to the reader a distinct idea of the
information conveyed by Mr. Jones, without the illus-
trated aids to which he made frequent reference.
After explaining the mode of spinning, and the
,übstance from which the silk of the worm was menu-

'actured, the lecturer referred to the web of the spider,
And explained the wonderful apparatus by which that
well known insect was enabled to construct a thread of
tine three or four thousand twists, which, in delicacy
f texture, exceeded almost the power of thought to con-
vive, and certainly precluded the powers of language to
xpress. Singular as it might be, many of the disct.vo. '
ies on which the human intellect prided itself were acted
upon from time immemorial by the common spider. To
it the honour belonged of originating the balloon and the
living b.-11. The lecturer said that he had intended itt
he present lecture to advert to a variet of the purposes
t'4.r which nature intended the film of the spider, but his
rime would not permit him, and he would, therefore,
leter this more interesting portion of the subject to
another opportunity. The lecture, which evidently gave
he liveliest satisfaction, was listened to throughout with
he utmost attention.

A GENUINE IRISIINIAN.--A few days ago as a gen-
:lemon of our acquaintance was walking up Northgate,
a Walcufiel,i, he was accosted by a son of the Emerald
Isle in the following manner Arrah, yer honour,
and wont,' ye be after telling me the name of the street
•,pposite?" To which the gentleman replied " Frovi-
lence•street." " Sure enough, and yer honour, and
hat's the very stre.- t I'm wanting, ui.d faith, I've a par-
ticular friend who lives in that same street. but, by my
,oul, I've intirely and eocupletely forgot his name—per
laps. now, you would be aft..r telling me his name too."
I his so excited our friend's risible facultie>, that he
)iirst into an immoderate fit of laughter, to the no small
.m..zo,nent of poor Paddy, who retorted, " Faith, and
you're no gentleman, or )ou wouldn't be slier Orating
,ne in that manner ; by my soul, but ye may have to
ask the same question yourself, some day." A second
'it of laughter was the result of this droll remark, and.
after looking unutterable things. walked away,
~o doubt to find a mere gentlemanly infurinant.—Leech
Intrligerwer.
GOOD F13111146.—0n Tuesday lost a decked
nsh-
ing vessel cast her lines on the Mar Bank, and in 0,,
haul the crew 'pulled up twenty-five h.fiibut and twenty-
nine skate. The whole of the ash were exceedingly
large; 0114 of the halibut, Watch was exhibited on Thurs-
day 111 a fishm.inger's shop inns....(ienorgeeß•sotyreaelt,paweighed
d
ra:anwbiolrloluegarheattil...sear
.I_BoTTalhs.E—REodTiAntbußrguhckTriiiinoeusex.
and
t 1
nel
as etv eArsaclort eol any
i‘s
toofn eary
neatest,a j sr
huen t
Fe
proceed thence by the Southampton Railway te, Lyndhurat,
in Hampshire, for the purpose of bunting
.theenuing week in the ktew Forest-; tbelreree
4Pm /1464,01 Twig mt.
yet
dtatiouring