. 
514 
position of this sort must be determined 
upon by the yearly meeting, or by the 
body at large.”* 
Even on the chief point upon which 
this writer’s arguments rest, that the 
members of the select meeting are self- 
elected,” I shali prove him to have mis- 
stated the fact. By consulting either 
the work which [ bave just quoted, or the 
abstract of the «liscipline of the society, 
published under the title of “ Yearly 
Meeting Minutes,” he will find that the 
elders are appointed hy the recommend- 
ation of the monthly meeting, sanctioned 
by the approval of the quarterly meeting. 
Here we discover the tottering founda. 
tion of that structure which Verus bas 
raised, of that which has furnished him 
with a topic for his exordium, of that 
on which he has introduced poetical quo- 
tation, and descanted throughout with 
so much complacency. I would farther 
observe that the proceedings of the meet- 
ings of ministers and elders are not so 
studiously concealed as is represented, 
since the queries proposed at these meet- 
ings, with other information respecting 
their functions, may be found in the 
* Yearly Meeting Minutes.” 
George Fox is charged by “ Verus” 
with entertaining superstitious notions. 
On this head candour would have pointed 
ont to him the difference which has taken 
plece on such subjects, between the ideas 
of the present eve and that in which G. 
Fy lived. But I cannot conceive, that 
this circumstance is calculated to detract 
from his merit, in having established a 
discipline which has been defended by 
many persons of real ability and learning, 
and a system, of the peaceable tendency 
of which the unprejudiced of different 
denominatiovs have so frequently testi- 
fied their approbation. 
The society is advised to adopt the 
mode of ballot instead of the means at 
present pursued of deciding on the sub- 
jects which claim its attention, This 
proposition I was scarcely prepared to 
expect even from “ Verus.” When it is 
considered that on such accasions every 
member is allowed to speak his senti- 
ments, and that during a series of years 
unanimity has been preserved; would 
it not be folly to introduce a practice 
which could only serve to foment oppo- 
sition? How much more consonant is 
the method now adopted with the se- 
riousness of the subject discussed, with 
rad : : 
 * 6¢ Portraiture of Quakerism,” by T. 
Clarkson, M.A.—Vol. ii. p. 275, 
3 
Effects of Vegetation.on the Are 
oo _T. "9 a )  — ae 
[July t, 
that spirit of Christian charity which 
ought ever to pervade a religious assem- 
bly. Aud surely there can be no reason 
to apprehend unpleasant consequences 
from that deference to age and expe-~ 
rience, to which allusion has been made, 
Considering the nature of his mate- 
rials, ‘¢ Verus” has certainly proceeded 
_ to the accomplishment.of his desigh with 
very plausible effect. It is not therefore 
my intention to deny him the praise of 
ingenuity; but Il would press upon his 
serious consideration the necessity of 
procuring accurate information before he 
again arraigns the conduct of any sect ; 
since this alone will enable him to adopt: 
with propriety the appellation he has 
assumed. DeFENSOR. 
Leominster, 5mo. 15, 1811. 
EE 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, P 
I TRUST yoer correspondent in the 
Monthiy Magazine for last month, 
who wishes information on the effects of 
vegetation on the air, may receive the 
desired knowledge from the following 
simple experiment, which I believe to 
have been practised so repeatedly as to 
leave no doubt of the results. 
If in a receiver filled with air rendered 
incapable of supporting animal life or 
combustion, (having been decomposed in 
its passage through the lungs of an ani- 
mal,) be placed a sprig of mint, and thus 
exposed to the action of light, it will in a 
few hours be so completely altered (by 
the power of vegetation) as to be restored 
to a similar state it was in at the time 
it was first inhaled- The reason is this: 
atmospheric air is a chemical combina- 
tion of gases, principally oxygen and ni- 
trogen. In the passage of the air (when 
we breathe) through the lungs, it imparts 
its oxygen to the arterial blood, and is 
thrown out again at the mouth in’ the 
state of nitrogen and carbonic acid gas ; 
part of the oxygen having, as before 
stated, entered into the composition of 
the arterial fluid, whilst the other, uniting 
with the. carbon of the blood is thrown 
off in the state of carbonic acid gas; 
the nitrogen, by its superior levity, as- 
ceuds whilst the carbonic acid gas, or 
fixed air, falling by its gravity (being the 
heaviest gaseous body known) is received 
by the vegetable organs of respiration, 
and there depositing its carbon it is 
evolved again; and the air thus freed 
in the vegetable from its carbon, is again 
fit for breathing. So we see. the fluid 
that is rendered, by having passed through 
the 
