15 



this evening, having been unavoidably postponed, Mr. 

 Read, on request, repeated a portion of a former lecture 

 on the construction and architecture of Bridges, which had 

 been delivered under unfavourable circumstances of wea- 

 ther ; and to this he added a dissertation on Roofs, shewing 

 the great superiority of the modern builder in the manner of 

 constructing that very important part of architecture. A 

 large diagram explained clearly the nature of this supe- 

 riority. Much information on the general principles of 

 trusses, and details of particular roofs, were added. 



February 24. — Mr. T. Baskerville, juu. delivered a Lecture 

 on Electricity. He gave the history of electricity from the 

 time of Theophrastus to the present aera ; treated on the 

 nature of the electric fluid, the ease with which it pervades 

 the substance of some bodies, and the great difficulty it ex- 

 periences in passing through others ; at the same time he 

 observed that it could not be the real substance of bodies 

 which is pervaded by the electric, a material fluid, as all 

 matter is impervious to matter, so that electricity must pass 

 through the interstices of bodies, and the difference of number 

 of these in various bodies most probably would account for 

 the different degrees of velocity with which they are pervaded 

 by the fluid. The nature and modus operandi of the machine 

 was then explained, and the phenomena of attraction and 

 repulsion experimentally shewn ; and the lecturer concluded 

 with experiments on the penetrating quality, and the illumi- 

 nating power of the electric light. 



March 10. — Mr. Read delivered a second Lecture on the 

 Turkish Empire. He recapitulated the heads of his former 

 lecture, and proceeded to notice the condition of the Turk as 

 a member of society. The character of the government, and 

 its influence on society, were pointed out and feelingly la- 

 mcuted. A description of the ceremonies attendant on the 

 accession of a monarch was made the vehicle of introducing 

 a notice of the several officers of state. The singular mode 

 by which discontent seeks to attract the royal notice by 

 frequent fires in the capital suggested reflections on the 

 degradation of the people. A description of the great fire 

 ia 1765 followed. The partial and imperfect character of 

 the law, and the defects in its administration, were pointed 

 out, and some illustrative and corroborative anecdotes given. 

 The evasion of the command forbidding the use of wine, and 

 tlie excesses of the Turks when under its influence were 

 mentioned ; and a general view of the internal state of the 

 empire in civil and criminal affairs concluded the lecttire. 



