e 



religion , — and tho galling imposts on the provinces in so 

 great a degree as to induce the subjects to request the aid of 

 the Saracens to their relief. — He contrasted the military 

 virtues of the Saracens with those of the Byzantine Emperor 

 and people ; the peculiar religious notions of the former 

 aiding their martial character. 



He then directed attention to the remarkable circumstance 

 of the prevalence of the Mahommedan religion and its ge- 

 neral adoption ; to the many and important effects of the 

 establishment of the Saracen Empire in Europe on the poli- 

 tical and social fabrics of the contemporary States ; and to 

 the rapid advancement of the Saracens, when the age of 

 rapine and bloodshed had yielded to that of peace and tran- 

 quility, in arts, science, and literature ; mentioning the 

 obligations of European States, and of the learned 

 World generally to them, as in many of their Sciences may 

 be- traced the origin of discoveries of which later ages have 

 reason to be proud. 



October 6. — Mr. Warman delivered a Lecture on the rise 

 and progress of the Electric Science. — He stated the funda- 

 mental principles of the Science, and performed many expe- 

 riments illustrating the causes of electrical attraction and 

 repulsion, and distinguished the difference between positive 

 and negative Electricity. He next gave a brief history of 

 the Science from the time of Thales, shewing the result of 

 discoveries in the construction and improvement of the pre- 

 sent Electrical Machine, which was explained, together with 

 a considerable portion of the apparatus. — Mr. W. then took 

 a retrospective view of the progress of the Science from 

 the time of the Milesian Philosopher to the present. 



October 13. — The Rev. H. Lacey delivered a Lecture on 

 the origin and progress of the Arts. — The Rev. Gentleman 

 took a comprehensive view of the origin of the common and 

 useful arts of life, shewing that they resulted not so much 

 from the contemplation of animal instinct, as from the exer- 

 cise of the rational powers of the mind in the endeavour to 

 compensate fur the pressing wants of man in a state of 

 nature. He then treated particularly on some of the neces- 

 sary Arts. The art of preparing food led the way to many 

 obKervations on the state of agriculture in different countries 

 at early periods of time, especially in Uritain, in the Ro- 

 man, Saxon, and Norman times.->-The influence on Agri- 

 culture of the feudal polity was noticed, and the improvemt>nt 

 of that art during the Commonwealth. He then treated 

 of the art of defence, d»!scribing sonic of the iuKtrunients of 

 def(Mice and oflence, in many ages and countries, and noti- 

 cing the cruss-bows of the English, and the difference in the 



