Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-12-03
ca will then become the centre ofknow-
ledge, civilization and power"
REMARKABLES.

proposed the employment of the ehrys
taLine lenses of animals in single micro
scopes. He contends that in those ca
ses which require high magnifyine
powers, no artificial lenses are so per
feet as those which we receive from
the hands of nature. He prefers those
of fishes, which from their superior
density are less liable to injury, and
better adapted to the purpose; "and the
only precaution necessary for employ,
ing them is to place the tense so, that
it's optical axis, and the axis of vision
in the eye of the observer, shall cores
pond, which may easily be done by ad.
usting the lens to ooncave aperture
in small plate Of metal" He recon-
mends that in those cases "where high
magnifying powers are not .eqaired,
the christalline lenses Of qundrupeds
will be found more convenient than
those of fishes, as embracing larger
field Of view, and as they are in genera!
easily attainable, & in situations whei C
no artificial lens can be procured -
1t is scarcely necessary to tell the rea-
der, that the christalline lens Of a fish
is that part ofthe eye, which when boil
ed, children call the ball; that in this
state, it loses its transparency, and of
course is unfit for microscope; and
that il must be taken out of the eye be-
fore the fish is cooked
Referring to DR. Brewster's paper
i'm the Edinburg Journal Of Science)
the Nantucket Inquirer states a curious
circumstance respecting the "eye-ball
of sDord fish, which is said to be gen.
orally much larger than that o. an or, and
to form very powerful magnifier. |
have frequently, (says the edltor) and
almost instantly, lighted a cigar at the TO-
Gus formed by the suns rays pressing
Through this natural lens"
Another curious fact is stated in an
English scientific work, which requires
some little credulity to believe. Ths
writer states, that he happened to be at
Naples when Herculaneum was first
discovered; and that some "leathern
bags of beans, answering exactly to the
kidney beans, were found in several cor
ners of their window seats. Some Eng
lish gentlemen were curious enough to
sow them on their return; and notwith-
standing their having been 10 appear
ance dead for so.many centuries, yet did
they gro,c and produce. DR.. Lawson
tried the experiment in small garden
of his at Chelsea, and it succeeded.'
Had Pythagoras been aware Of this un.
perishing principle in his beans, they
would have lost nothing of their value
in his eyes.
Another item may be added to the
Remarkablas, not drawn from the ruins
Of the ancient Italians, but most proba-
bly, from the practice Of some inge-
NOUS Yankee eve use the term in
reference simply TO the shrewd cast OF
character Of some Of our Eastern bre.
thren) The Boston Statesman states,
that the following ingenious mode
of catching fish is practised on the
Grand banks of Newfoundland. They
pass strong line under the bottom Of
the vessel, which being brought over
the deck goes round vertical wheel,
so that by turning it with a crank, like
a grindstone, the line revolves, and with
it the hooks which are fastened at re-
gular distances The bait is put on the
hook on one side Of the vessel, and the
fish are taken off al the other, the line
being kept in motion by turning the
wheel
The Boston Galaxy, to whom we are
indebted for the caption Of this article,
furnishes some other items TO the ca
talogue. The Hospital at the Saltpe-
triere a. Paris has four boilers in the
kitchen, each Of which will hold two
oxen, and convert them into SOUP
They will contain 1900 lbs. OF meat
each. Its wardrobe contains $4,000
sheets, $4,000 night-caps, and $4,000
chemises, sc. sc.
The House Of Longman * Co. in
London sells FIVE millions CT volumes
yearly. They employ sixty clerks, pay
! S25 900 year for advertisements re-
markabIe enough y and give constant
EN- ployment to at least $50 printers and
| and bookbindeis.
A WEIGH Clergyman with living OF
80 pounds year married ayoung lady,
whose patrimony was part OF bar
rem mountain, which they were on the
point Of selling fol; 100, when 10! ii
was ascertained that it contained a
mine ofcopper. The mine was put in
operation; he now enjoys from it an
income of Slll,ooo; and the estate On
which he resided was purchased for
near million Of dollars. After this.
surely the reader will scarcely refuse
10 believe the vegetation of the Hercu'
laneum bears!-Yet we have chapter
and verse fer all,