Litchfield enquirer., 1836-04-21

cnrk~nic acid Raa. but other gassrS Of desc
terinus Kind. But fortunately these SaseS =:
of such o disagrecahle nature. aPpes.mS IN.
rectlv 10 some Of the senses tn@' !" "a In.
: nnediateIy warned of their prrse"c;' uro.
s,inciivpiy avoid them. m Ma r.s il of the
o"c+u =: ,'.'"s"nt and sofocaiing character.
nus "" -. himself had voluntarily expert
'he S,..,s which instantly deprived MN
enceu 10 W: lie mentioned the case of an
81 :. 49,, IN France, who committed suicide
~. leans Of inhaljng this poisonous agent
~, placed pan of charcoal 10 his chamber
and seated himself at a table. where, with
| ~ r;ting materials before him. he calmly and
/ uhilosophicaIly described the sensations which
be experienced; as he proceeded, his hand
| writing became more illegible, until mis-
shapen scrawI gave evidence Of approaching
death! The Lecturer described the diamond,
which is nothing else uhan pure chrystalized
carbon-dense and very heavy. The com
bustion Of charcoal and the combustion Of
diamond produces the same result, viz car.
homie acid gas. BY means Of the compound
bIow-pipe, the Lecturer performed the rare
and beautiful experiment Ofburning diamonds.
He alluded to the fire damp 10 wells, so fatal
TO animal life, which is nothing more than this
heavy gas, that settles near the surface Of the
water-as it is an instant extinguisher Of com
hustiOn. lis presence may always be detected
by letting down a lighted candle. He des-
cribed the manner 10 which the gas is genera
ted by respii ation-One object of which is 10
free the blood Of its redundant carbon. Thus
the importance to health of we'll ventilated
rooms; the same law prevailing throughout
the whole animal creation, all created beings
depending for life on the oxygen "f the air.
He described the compounds Of carbon and
hydrogen, by which the ordinary gas lights
are produced, and stated that carbOnated n.y.
drogen was most perfect when obtained from
alcohol and sulphuric acid-which hurns with
intense brilliancy.
The Lecturer concluded his interesting lee
ture Of an hour and three quarters with par
ticular description of the safety lamp, invent
ed by Sir Humphrey Davy, which is such an
edectuaA preventive Of explosions 10 coal
mines, and which has probably saved the lives
Of many thousands Of human beings. A des-
cription of the properties Of another important
combustible body, phosphorus, he was COM
PEELED TO defer until the next lecture.
The terrible Earthquake al Carracas-ls12.
From Baron Van Humbodrs Travels.
March 26th, being Holy Thursday. and
a large sssemhlage Of people were at church
lat seven minutes after 4 in the afternoon.
cause the bells to ring. The ground cobtin-
aed TO tremble: suhterranean noise like
was heard. Caracas was entirely
overthrown. Thousands were precipitated
into the opening earth, like Korah and his
company. and thousands buried under the
rains. The church Of the Trinity was liter
ANY levelIed with the ground, and regiment
in the barracks busted alive. The houses that
fell not were cracked and shattered, so as 10
be uninhabitable. The night Of Holy Thurs
day presented scene Of sorrow and desOla-
ton. A cloud of dust WHICH rose at the COM
Of the shock had now settled
down on the groUnd-never was a finer orr
quieter night. The full nsoen Illuminated the
fallen buildings, and made a fine contrast TO
the ruin and desolation around. Mothers car
rying the bodies Of their infants. vainIy hop
ing to restore them Ia life. There was an en-
tire destituiiOD Ct tools for digging out the
living and dead bodies-the people were obli-
ged to use their hands to disioter the bodies.
The wounded and expiring were only shelter
ed by trees. nearly every house in the city
being demolished. The beds and linen and
every necessary for the wounded were burr |
ed. Food and wafer were almOs: impossible
to be procured; for the pipes of the reser-
voirs were broken, and the spring filed with
earth. 1t WAS impossible to bury the thou
sands ofdead bodies, and commissioners were
chosen TO erect funeral piles and burn the bo-
dies. IN this calamity. the Inhabitants enga- |
ged 10 religious services, which they thought
suited to the occasion. Professions moved
IN the streets. singing hymns-otlsers confes-
sed their sins aloud in the streets. Maria
ges were now soiemnizrd by persons who
had dweit together acknowledgements ac-
knowledged children. whom they once dis
owned-~cxtortioners and thieves made resii.
tution--aRd families long at variance. were
now reconciled. But others were rendered
more inhuman ny this calamity. Vulgar
minds 10 such scenes retain less goodness than
strength: for trouble acts like the pursuit Of
literature, which exercises its influence only
on a few. giving more warmth TO their feel
ings,and more benevOlence 10 their character"
MelGRcholy.-A young man named James
Munroe, was drowned in the Little River, in
this city. on Tuesday last. He, in company
ISiih another young man named KeeOey, had
incaHtiousiy proceeded too near the dam in
Arch street. by which the boat WAS drawn in
to the falls of the dam. 10y che farce of the
counter current, filling the boat and npsetting
il instantly. The body ofthe young man was
taken out Ut the water IL about Gfteen ar TWEEN
ty minutes, but life was extinct. His com.
pdUlVU sdNcu UttUSet uttcT uuuCU tuOTts Uy
clingi0g 10 the bottom of the boat, until as
sis,ance ed.-Haritord Courier. ,.
A strange circumstance lately occurred at
Breslau, in Prussia. Some weeks ago nun
belonging to the Ursnline Convent in the cit
died. las il was supposedly and was. as usual.
placed in the church. While the sisters were
employed IN singing the usual vigis Cor her,
she suddenly rose from her coffin, proceeded