Star.
London, England, 1830-06-21 00:00:00

SCINTILLA; OR, SPARKS.

We have given this portion of our Paper a new general
title, because it is prudent to look original, whether we are able al.
ways to be so or not ; and we find the word " Miscellanea" in con.
stint use by other journalists. When puzzling ourselves what titlt•
to adopt, a friend archly suggested " Rubbish shot here," as pro.
bably what might be appropriate ; but indignant at the remark. wt
fortunately recollected that the venerable Bede had given the tit!:
of "Scintilla" to a miscellaneous portion of his voluminous works,
and we think it well suited to our purpose. In future, this depan.
mint of our Journal is to have the above title, and we hope ou.
readers will find our sparks those which proceed, not from a common
smithy, but from a STAR of the first magnitude—Bah! tut po,
trop fore, Mow. ETOILE

AG alc u u RE.—A preparatory school of agricul-
ture has been established at Paris. Among the proposed objects
of Instruction are, the French, English, and German languages.
linear, topographical, and descriptive drawing, the elements of ma-
thematics, general notions of natural philosophy, and minetal and
vegetable chemistry, the principles of vegetable physiology, gene.
ral notions of mechanics, hydrostatics, and hydrodynamic+. rural
architecture, the elements of manufacturing and commercial econo.
my, &c. &e.
HOLLY.—The largest holly known in Europe, grows a'
t in the garden of Richard Armstrong, Esq. of Ballyganly ;
rtree4irsiwards of sixty feet In height.—/avernms Courier.
TREES.— A tree eats neither clover nor corn ; it
sucks nourishing moisture from the earth as quietly as a babe suck..
its mother's milk ; it receives warm life from the sun, and treslines-
from the air, and shakes its hair in the storm. A cow might hap.
pen to die; but a tree lives and bears its blossoms, its bird's nests.
and its blessings, for our children and our children's children.
Trees would be the happiest of beings if they knew how fie:: anti
gay they are, bow beautiful they look in spring—what a protection
they afford when clothed in the full.leafed glory of summer how
men atop to admire them, and thank Gon for the pleasure they af.
ford—how gratefully the weary traveller rests beneath their shade,
to smoke his pipe or cat his crust of bread. In short, how they
deal out benefits to all around them, and confer happiness on young
and old. Even in winter, trees give us no trouble, for they do not
require to be housed ; no, they brave the chilling blast, and guide
the traveller on his way, when roads and paths arc buried beneath
the snow; directing him first to the right, then to the left—now a
little more to the left, and over the y Mug.
CIILORINE AN ANTIDOTE FOR HYDROCYANIC
ACID.—Mr. Simeon's report on this subject has been confirmed by
the experiments of M. M. Person and Nonah. Hydrocyanic acid
was applied to the eye.ball of a dog in three cases, and the effect of
the chlorine tried at different periods of the symptoms in each case.
To one dog the antidote was applied before the poison had produced
any symptom but general distress ; the relief was immediate, work.
ing by regular respiration, vomitting, and alvine evacuation. In
the second case tetanus had commenced, the anxiety and convul-
sive motion were more prolonged, and a longer time was necessary,
but the cure was effective. Next day both the dogs were submitted
to the poison without the antidote ; they died in a few minutes. In
the third case, the chlorine was not applied until respiration had
been suspended during twenty.five seconds ; this dog was oho per.
fectly restored. Similar experiments were made by applying the
poison and its antidote to the crural vein, with the same effecrs.—
Fite chlorine entered into the circulation. Its effects were instar,-
tancous, and it neutralized the acid afterwards applied as well as
that before administered. Chlorine introduced into the system, des.
troys the virus of organic poisons, and probably of hydrophobil.—
Annalcs de Chink.

A SCORPION SUICIDE.—On Wednesday, the fol.
lowing singular illustration of a fact mentioned in natural Iti.tary
occurred. A gentleman connected with the Custom-house found in
a ease of sugar, in the London Docks, a small scorpion, mea.
suring about two inches from one extremity to the other. He tock
it home, and placed it on a cold plate under a glass, where 0:
little reptile appeared to be almost torpid, but on warming the glass
it became full of life. It was then stated by a gentleman present.
that he heard that the scorpion, if it found itself in danger of meet.
ing with a painful death, would sting itself, and cause its men int.
mediate destruction. To ascertain the fact, a circle of about titre,
inches in diameter was drawn round the scorpion. and covered with
cotton dipped in spirits of wine. This being ignited, the scorpion
made every possible effort to escape; but finding escape impracti.
cable, and beginning to feel the effects of the fire, it instantly turned
up its tail, and, with considerable force, struck the sting into its
head. It was dead in an instant.
Obeah, or the detestable practice of spells, formerly
existed to a great degree among the negroes, but it is now fast dis-
appearing. It was first introduced into our colonies by the Africans,
who have their minds filled with superstition. The many who once
executed these spells were called Obi people, and pretended to be
able to cause the death of all those who offended them, by catching
their shadows. Had they only pretended, it would have been well;
but their pretensions were often fatally put into practice, and the
number of negroes lost on the various estates, in the different islands,
rendered it necessary that the Legislature should take it into con.
sideration. There is no doubt but that the catching the shadows of
their victims, or holding them spell-bound, was only a false pre.
tenet invented by the Obi men for murdering them by sinister
means. Mr. Barclay, who was present at the trial of a notorious
Obeah man on a plantation in Jamaica, tells us that ‘' one of the
witnesses, a negro belonging to the same estate, was ask tl,
you know the prisoner to be an Obeah man ?" Ees, Al ism, shadow.
catcher true.' What do you mean by a shadow-catcher?' Him
ha coffin' (a little coffin produced)' him set for catch dem shadow.'
What shadow do you mean ?" When him set Obeah for sum-
mary (somebody) him catch dem shadow and dent go dead : and too
surely they were soon dead when he pretended to have caught their
shadows, by whatever means it was effected.' When this practice
was found to be attended with such dreadful con.eqiiences. the go.
vernment of the several islands, after discouraging it by every means
in their power, made it punishable by dead,. This salutary Lw
has effectually limited the occurrence of Obeah : the yearly ticcreac
of Africans in the colonies lessens the prevalence of sllpt TNiitit,ll; and
the light of religion, which is everywhere dispelling tlh: gloom cat
ignorance, among many other evils, will remedy this.—Four Year.
in She West Indies.

HEBDOAIADARY.
Tots DAY—Summer quarter begins 50 min. past 11 night. This
is the first day of the Blussulman year 12411. It is the longest
day—its duration 16 hours 54 min. 5 sec. Battle of Vittoria,
1813.
To-stoaaow—First day of the Jewish month Tliammus. Manz
rises 48 min. put 11. Battle of Blackheath, 14:1.
WioxEsDAY—The evening of this day was peculiarly interestin:;
to the young maidens in old times, when they ohs) various spoil.
to learn who were to be their future husbands. Jupiter rises at

min. put 8 evening.
THURSDAY—HoIiday at the Bank. Midsummer Day. Nativit)

of John the Baptisi.
FRlDAY—Battle of Bannockburn, 1314.
Surunmor—Sun rises 34 min. past 3—sets 17 min. pact 0. Saturn
sets 31 min. past 10 night.

BIRTH.
The 19th inst. Mrs. Archer Upton, of Guilfortl.cract, of a son.

MARRIED.
At Stoke church, J. Beer, jun. Esq. solicitor, of Devon-
shire, to Elizabeth, eldest daughter of R. Rundle, k;sq. Mont-
pelier—ln Annan, G. Buchanan, Esq. of Arden, to Elizabeth
Grace Bogle Smells, youngest daughter of the late J. Stuellie.
Esq. of Torbanhill—ln Booterstown church, John Arthur, Evq•
deputy inspector of hospitals, to Lucy, relict of the late Captair.
H. F. Barry, of Rathmines.cantle, county of Dublin —At Chat-
ham, Lieut. R. Bolton, of the 13th Regiment of Foot, to Marla,
second daughter of J. Arthure, of Seafield, county of Dublin.
Esq. barrister.at-law—At Killincoocl church, H. S. Deceluzeau.
C. C. of the barony of Ardcc, to Margaret, daughter of J. Booth,
Esq. of Mullacheloe-lodge, county Louth—At Mortlake, W. Oil.
pin, of East Sheen, Esq. to Helen, youngest daughter of J. Tur.
ncr, of the same place, Esq.—At Marylebone church, the Rev.
M. James, B. D. rector of Pembridge, Herefordshire, to Char.
lotte, widow of T. Inglis, Esq. late of the Bengal Civil Service.—
The 17th inst. at Richmond, the Rev. Charles Edward Kennawma,
ay,
second son of Sir J. Kennaway, B art. of Escot, Devon, to Em
fourth daughter of the Hon and Rev. OtrartlT. Ntsel—On the 4th
inst. at Christ Church, St. Marylebone,
the Rev. Henry Farrish.
M.A. Fellow of Queen's College, Cambridge, to Jane, only daugh-
ter of the late H. Farms, Esq. Comander of the Truc Briton Eas:
Indianian.

DIED.
Thursday, universally respected, Dr. James Mitchell, of Lai:-
caster-place, Waterloo-bridge.
Lady Charlotte Stopford, fourth and youngest daughter of tic Ead
of Courtown—ln Wataford, J. Mariam, Esq—ln Southamr•
ton-row, Russell-square,'o. Banda, Esq.-1n FinAbury.squart,
J. Jones, Esq. aged 66—At Barnwell, in Northamptonshire, AO
47, Jane, daughter of H. H. DeWitt, Fsq. of Sussex—The 19th
inst. at his house in Welbeek.street, 0. Henekell, Esq. aged 77—
The 17th inst. at his residence, York-row, Kennington. aged 78.
Mr. J.Willls, formerly of High-Mat, Borough—On the 10th
at Lambeth, Colonel B. Jackson, Member of his 31ajesty's Council
for the Island of Bt.Yineent, and a very distinguished officer durinr
the invasion of that colony by the French and Charaihs in 179.

Lennon : Printed and Mislaid by Jons Narita. at tit* Ss"'
Omen No.l, Plekett-plioe,Temple Bar.