J827.J 



Varieties* 



313 



bars, rings, or plates, .which are supported 

 by elastic bearings, constituted of helical or 

 elliptic springs, or even of cubical pieces of 

 caoutchouc, enclosed in n box or cylinder 

 made fast to the rail of the carriage. We 

 have seen of late few patent inventions so 

 well entitled as this to the patronage of the 

 public. 



Origin of the Saxons. The most pro- 

 bable derivation of the Saxons which has 

 been suggested, is from the Sacaesienii, or 

 Sacassaui, a people mentioned by Pliny and 

 Stmbo as originally inhabiting the regions of 

 Persia, about the Caspian Sea. In support 

 of this derivation, it has been observed that 

 several words in the present language of 

 Persia nearly resemble those of the same 

 signification in Saxon. Of such resemblances 

 five remarkable instances are adduced, by 

 Camden, from Joseph Scaliger. This hint 

 has given rise to an attempt, by Mr. Sharon 

 Turner, to ascertain, by a comparison of the 

 two languages, whether such a number of 

 coincidences are discoverable as materially 

 to confirm the belief that Persia was ori- 

 ginally the country of our Saxon progeni- 

 tors. Although, supposing that belief well 

 founded, the total separation of the two na- 

 tions for at least 2,000 years, the progressive 

 migration of the Saxons along the north of 

 Asia, and through the whole breadth of the 

 upper surface of Europe, together with the 

 numerous vicissiludes which have befallen 

 them, must have tended greatly to obliterate 

 the marks of original similitude between 

 their respective languages ; yet the result of 

 the comparison made by Mr. Turner, during 

 a very brief period of leisure which he was 

 able to devote to this object, has been the 

 discovery of 162 Persian words, which have 

 a direct affinity with as many Anglo-Saxon 

 terms of the same meaning. He has like- 

 wise given a list of fifty-seven similar resem- 

 blances between the latter tongue and the 

 Zeud, or ancient Persian ; and a third, con- 

 sisting of forty-three coincidences of it 

 with the Pehlier, an intermediate language 

 used in Persia, between the modern Persian 

 and the Zeud. In the learned writer's opi- 

 nion, a more elaborate investigation of these 

 analogies would further confirm the Asiatic 

 derivation of the Saxons. 



Influence of Strata on the Atmosphere. 

 The following is a summary of the leading 

 points of a novel hypothesis recently sub- 

 mitted to the Royal Society by W. A. Mac- 

 kinnon, Esq. He begins by stating that, re- 

 siding in the vicinity of Southampton, about 

 seven miles from the great bed of chalk that 

 runs through part of Hampshire and the 

 neighbouring counties, be was struck with 

 the difference of the air when on the chalk 

 to what it was when going towards the New 

 Forest, though both were equally distant 

 from the water. That, in consequence, ex- 



atmosphere over the chalk than over clay or 

 alluvial substance. Mr. M., however, adds, 

 that the hygrometer is an instrument so very 

 uncertain in its results, and so liable to inac- 

 curacy, ihat little reliance ought to be placed 

 on experiments made with it, unless con- 

 firmed by other observations. He says, bow- 

 ever, that every subsequent observation con- 

 firms the hypothesis that if chalk be laid 

 on a field as a dressing, it will, at the end of 

 some hours, become damp, even if no rain 

 or little dew have fallen, which dampness 

 can only arise from the atmosphere. Also, 

 that turf-grass over chalk or lime-stone, even 

 in the hottest summer,always looks green and 

 healthy; which must, it is thought, arise 

 from the absorption of atmospheric moisture, 

 by a sort of capillary attraction from the 

 chalk or lime-stone, which moisture, passing 

 through the slight covering of mould, keeps 

 the roots of the grass sufficiently moist to 

 look green ; whereas the same heat burns uj> 

 turf-grass over clay, or alluvial substance, or 

 gravel, in a remarkable degree. Many 

 other arguments are brought forward in fa- 

 vour of this assertion. It is added, that, from 

 this absorbing power or capillary attraction 

 of atmospheric damp by certain strata, a 

 house built on a chalk foundation, or of 

 chalk materials, will commonly be damp ; 

 and for the same reason, if lime-stone or 

 sea-sand be used. The paper farther states, 

 that if the dryness or dampness of the at- 

 mosphere be affected by the stratum, that 

 must influence the spirits or the health of the 

 inhabitants ; and even some other qualities of 

 individuals or nations may depend more on 

 the substratum than is commonly imagined. 



Saline bitter Waters of Saidschutz. A 

 new analysis of these celebrated waters has- 

 been made, by Professor Steinman, of 

 Prague ; and a pound of sixteen ounces was 

 found to contain, 



Principal 

 Spring. 



Sulphate of magnesia 



Nitrate of magnesia 



Hydrochlorate of magnesia 



Carbonate of magnesia .. 



Sulphate of potash , 



Sulphate of soda 



Sulphate of lime ..;....;.. 



Carbonate of lime 



Carbonate of Strontian ...... 



Carbonate of the pvotoxyde 



Carbonate"of the protoxyde 



of manganese 0-028 



Subphosphate of alum 0-018 



Silcx.... 0-061 



[Extracting] 0'385 



0-108 



Carbonic acid 



Atmospheric air 



160-691 . 133-292 

 . 3-304 .. 2-967 

 . 0-105 .. 0-286 



164-100 . 136-545 



Communication between the Atlantic and 

 the Black Sea. The original design of 



periments were tried with the hygrometer uniting by a canal the Rhine and the Da- 

 me Luc's whalebone, and Daniels'); and nube is due to Charlemagne, by whom it was 



undertaken, but, owing to political events, 

 was soon abandoned. Lately, the Marquis 

 2 S 



the result of these was, that invariably a 

 greater degree of dryness was found in the 

 M.M, New Series. VOL, IV. No, 21. 



