The Sun.
London, England, 1823-10-18 00:00:00

BARON SAMUEL' GUSTAVUS HERMELIN.

The memory of this philosopher should be
equally dear to geographers and those who cul-
tivate the mining art.—Born -at Stockholm in
1744, of a noble family, his father having attain-
ed The eminent dignity of a Senator of the king-
dom, he was furtunately destined to undertake
the administration of the mines, the most impor-
tant source of wealth .which Sweden possesses.
He commenced by visiting the principal establish-
. .

meats of this kind in the kingdom, and paid par-
ticular attention to the celebrated cOpper-mine
of Fatilun, where he 'contributed to establish a
manufacture of vitro!, sulphur, and colcotha. He
was also actively occupied with the gold-mine of
lEdelfors.—After having acquired a -profound
knowledge of every thing remarkable in this de-
partment that Scandinavia presented, he obtain-
ed permission to visit foreign countries also. He
travelled through Germany, the Low Countries,
and France, and embarked for America ; charged,
at the same time, on the part of Sweden, with a
political mission to the United States. He visit-
ed almost all parts of this country, and returned
to Sweden, by England, towards the end of
1784.—He now, became anxious to improve the
knOwledge of the geography; geology, and statis-
tics of Sweden, which seemed to Tarn to be as yet
in a-very imperfect condition. He therefore caused
to be explored, at his own expence, the northern
provinces of the kingdom, which were less known
than the others. The result of, these journeys was
a map of Westro-Bothnia and Laplend ; and this
was the commencement of the great geographical
enterprise to which Baron Hermelin devoted, for
a period of fifteen years, his most assiduous cares,
and a great part of his fortune. Unfortunately,
the publication of the twenty-sir first maps hay-
ing exhausted his pecuniary resources, he was
obliged, in 1810, to give up the remaining part
of the work to a company ; but he acted a prin-
cipal part in this association, and had the happi-
ness, before his death, of seeing this grand atlas
of Sweden entirely completed—a monument rais-
ed to science and his country, by a single indivi-
dual, at the expense of the greatest sacrifices.—
His patriotic efforts were not,litpited to this single
interprize, great as it was. Feeling for the ex-
treme poverty to which the inhabitants of the
most northern provinces of Sweden are reduced,
and knowing the abundance and productiveness
of the ores of iron which these provinces possess,
he judged that the best means of being useful to
them would be to establish furnaces and forges.
Three of these manufactories he established in
Bothnia. He opened new roads, and perfected
the means of conveyance by water ; 'founded
oco-
lonies,
and introduced an agriculture Unknown
till then. But these enterprizes, which were not
seconded, mid %Odell were crossed in various ways,
by accidental circumstances, exhausted at length
M. Hermelin's resources. He was obliged to
give up all his effects to his creditors ; and he
found, like many others, that, in the most useful
and best calculated interprises, the profits
are reserved for others than those who have
first tried them. He had not, however, o
complain of the ingratitude of all his fellow-
citizens. Time college of Nobles, ut the diet
of 1800, caused a medal to be struck in
his honour, with this inscription in Swedish
" Presented to Hermelin, by his fellow-citizens
and friends, for having made his country better
known, and for having enriched and peopled',
deserts." The Stockholm Academy of Sciences
admitted him as a tnember in 1771 ; and he often,
by his liberality, seconded the scientific r6earches
of this Society, and the journeys which it caused
to he undertaken.--When he' gave up, in 1815,
the administration of the mines, after fifty-four
years of service, not only were his appointments
preserved to him, but the states Of the kingdom
added a pension of a thousand rix-dollars,—a re-
compence well merited, adds the historian of the
Academy, but moderate, if we consider the sa-
crifices of every kind which this excellent citizen
had made for the common good. Supporting his
misfortune with a philosophic courage; he enjoy.
ed, iu retirement, the remembrance of all the
good he had done, when death put an end to his
useful and glorious career, on the ilth May 1820.

46 PARSON HARRISON."—On Tuesday last our
old acquaintance, (tfarrisond the political
preacher, who was convicted, along with Sir
CifititLES WOLSRLEY, at Chester Spring Assizes,
in 18W, for a conspiracy in attending a radical
meeting in this town, was liberated from the
Castle, and he has returned to his family.—
(Stockport Advertiser.)

A Decree has been obtained in one of the
French Fourtsof ,Law, against an Irishman, named
for npW4rds of 40,000/. The law expences upon the. Decree
are said to be morelhan 12;000 francs. This S- ..e is he:-
come a naturalized'Frenchman and a Count. The debt, how.
ever, respecting which the Decree was granted, .mok :Mace in
Ireland.. _ _

A lat of bullocks from the. County Clare
•
which, had been intended for the Bristol 'market,
was on Thursday exposed for sale on the Parade.
The very low prices at whichanthdeyt:eerieltiot:ff
eerweads,
tinieds to becomeucednlatlygepnotricerilesnersre,sidin; in the 'Aber-
disposed of in this mariner—three to four-year-
olds from 4/, 'to four gyioeka.—(Cork Southern
Reporter.)