The Sun.
London, England, 1841-05-26 00:00:00

DR. REID'S LECTURES.

NEW PRACTICAL COURSE FOR SCHOOLS AND ACADEMIES.
Yesterday the first practical lesson illustrative of the
'course recommended by Dr. Reid, was given at Willis's-
, rooms. Dr. Reid's views are, that the introduction of
practical lessons in chemistry, in all schools and acade-
mies, will be equally advantageous in their influence on
the arts, on public health, and in economising the means
of the poor, while they are essentially necessary for all
who may be intended for professional pursuits, where a
knowledge of physical science is required.
The practical lessons are given immediately before the
lecture, and consist of a series of demonstrations as to the
nature of air, water, combustion, or such other subjects
as may engage attention, each of the pupils performing
simultaneously a series of experiments illustrative of the
facts described, and being interrogated upon each, so as
to quicken his powers of observation in tracing the suc-
cessive phenomena that are presented as the experiments
proceed.
The pupils stand round a table, each having an assort-
ment of apparatus and materials placed before him, such
as are required for the operations in which they are to
be engaged. The apparatus is exceedingly simple, and
consists merely of slips of glass, with which numerous
experiments are performed, and of a few tubes, glass jsirs
and candles, gas-lamps, or charcoal, according to the de-
gree of heat required. The following statement of the
experiments performed in the introductory lessons will
give a better idea than any detailed explanations of the
system adopted. The pupils performed all the experi-
ments with much interest, and we noticed a number of
ladies and gentlemen, including several Members of the
House of Commons, examining attentively the nature of
the system, and the manner in which the young pupils
entered upon their experimental operations.
Dr. Reid began the practical lessons by placing in the
hands of each of the pupils a small instrument, which he
iwtermed a chemical abacus. It is constructed in the same
manner as the common abacus ; a number of beads
strung upon different. wires, representing the different
intended
over
era
elements, which are moved
in different
accord-
ing to the nature of the combination it may be
j a
to represent.
candle,
hli
ht
thewbhm fiter t
etcetiexperiment
ll itattention
iNra
s thewas
pupils placed pd l positions,
toethe
manner
n lier i 1
extinguished,acd a
to the products
of combustion, to the moisture deposited, and thus to the
impurities communicated to the air, these being tested
successively by litmus, lime-water, &c.
- In the next series of experiments the pupils operated
upon the air which they expired testing it in the same
manner as the products of combustion, by litmus and

lime-water.
Lastly, they dissolved a portion of a chemical prepara-
tion which was given them with the view of explaining the
extreme minuteness of the particles of matter, and having
effected a solution by boiling it with water upon a piece
of flat glass, they lifted tests with another portion of
glass, and applied them to the matter of experiment.
During the whole course of these experiments the
teacher keeps up a- continued conversational intercourse
with the pupils, and they are continually examined and
cross-examined upon the varied phenomena that are ob-
served, till he is satisfied that they are thoroughly un-
derstood.

CONCERT.—MaIiC. E. Meerlis's Grand Even.
has the honour of appearing before.
ing Concert on Monday, the 7th of June, will be a great
treat ; as, in addition to her own beautiful voice she has
secured the talent of Dorus Gras, with Mdlle. Bertuccal
lovniththtehheaßrpe,neafinediall.ll.e,ll. Vicntenips on the violin ; who,
her Majesty at the Palace on Wednesday evening.
SINGULAR MARRIAGE.—On Monday, Pat-
rick Cowen, bachelor, and Sarah Ann Downes, spinster, were
united in the bands of wedlock at the church of St. Dunstan's,
Stepney, by Mr. James, the curate. The parties were both
young and good-looking, but both deaf and dumb. Fortunately
both had been instructed in the schools instituted for the edul
cation of persons thus afflicted, and, by reading the service and
writing their assents to the questions propounded, - the parties
were made to understand the nature of the solemn form of
marriage used in the Church. Cow en is a coal-whipper, and is
a capital werkinan.—Essex Herald.