134 Remains of eminent Persons. 
consequences have resulted from Eu- 
ropean colonies settling among the in- 
habitants of other parts of Asia. 
In the great policy of Russia, almost 
every thing depends at all periods on the 
character of the monarch, so that after 
all the predictions of our most able and 
ingenious politicians, futurity will be the 
best explainer of itself, as it seldom fails 
to clear up or account for what may ap- 
[Sept. 1, 
pear dark, difficult, and embarrassed in 
the times present. As to our governors, . 
and the share which they may have in 
European transactions, animadversions 
would be well founded. Where liberty 
is concerned, it, will be highly exception- 
able, as little can be inferred from the 
past but what. will tend to expose their 
treachery and barbarity. 
REMAINS OF EMINENT PERSONS. 
The following Letters, now first printed, have, except one, been copied from the 
originals in possession of the Editor. 
They are given in continuation of a series 
of similar curiosities, which at sundry times have appeared in this: Miscellany. 
—=ia 
ARGAND, IMPROVER OF LAMPS, 
To Dr. Lind, Windsor. 
Dear Sir—I am very sorry to see by 
your kind letter, that the first use Mrs. 
Sterky made of the still was so unsuc- 
cessful; the melting of the still-head, 
and the water of the worm-tub growing 
too hot, was undoubtedly owing to her 
having filled up the chimney-pipe with 
glowing charcoal, and that previous to 
having put any water in the boiler: 
whilst I had shewn her how to manage 
the still, by pouring, first, of all, some 
boiling water in the boiler, round the 
chimney, then throwing in it half-a-dozen 
lumps of charcoal, and keeping up the 
same fire, by a single, or two bits of the 
same coal now and then; she then 
ought to have filled the top tin reservoir 
with cold water, opened the cock, and 
let the cold water run down the pipe in 
the bottom of the worm-tub; the cold 
water, as I told you, remaining below, 
cools the worm, and drives upwards the 
warm water, part of which enters the 
boiler, runs down the worm like a gut- 
ter, and distils while the surplus runs 
out through the top cock; that must 
remain open. 
The whole being thus. set to work, 
there remains nothing more to do than 
to supply the fire-place at the bottom 
of the chimney with a piece or two of 
charcoal at a time, and renew the cold 
water in the tin top reservoir. 
I have-distilled many gallons of water 
in that still with great ease and little 
labour; but the misfortune is, that Mrs. 
Sterky did not wait for you before she 
began. I say again, if boiling water is 
first put in the boiler, six pieces of char- 
coal of such a size as to go down easy 
in the chimney, will keep up the distil- 
lation very well. 
A still to require no attendance, 
ought to be very large, so as to contain 
a large bulk of water in the worm-tub, 
and not to be in the necessity of re- 
newing it during the whole distillation ; 
the boiler should be a separate one, 
built up in a brick-work, and pretty 
large; but our intention was to have the 
whole put together, portable, and fit to 
be placed anywhere. However, I make 
no doubt, since you are so kind as to 
attend the first distillation, that you will 
soon make Mrs. Sterky master of the 
subject. 
If you find it necessary that the head 
which I made on purpose, as well as 
the worm of pure grain-tin, should come 
up to London to be mended, please to 
hand it to Mr. Elgar, near the Hall, that 
he may send it to his brother, in Bru- 
ton-street, London.—I am, my dear sir, 
your affectionate, 
London, Feb.15,1793. ‘Amt Arcanp. 
STERNE, 
Paris, May 16, 1762. 
Dear Sir :—Be so good as to put the 
two inclosed letters into the post-office 
the day you receive this, because they 
are upon business. I hope by this you 
received mine by Mr. Tollett, and have 
forwarded the small packet to my wife. 
She will be sooner in town than I ex- 
pected, in her way to France; and, pos- 
sibly, you will see her by the middle of 
June. Why I mention this, you know 
by my last, If you have not. already 
wrote me, write by the return, My 
compliments to Mr. Edmundson.—I am, 
dear sir, very truly yours, 
\ LL, STERN. 
P. S.—I am very hard at work; and, 
when I am got down. to my house at 
Toulouse in the south of France, you 
will see about what. 
From 
