1821.] 



Literary and Philosophical Intelligenee. 



359 



the only species we met with that was not 

 web-footed. We also fell in with a num- 

 ber of the animals described in Lord An- 

 son's voyage as the sea-lion, and said by 

 him to be so plentiful at Juan Fernandez, 

 many of which we killed. Seals were also 

 pretty numerous ; but though we walked 

 some distance into the country, we could 

 observe no trace either of inhabitants, or of 

 any terrestrial animal. It would be inipos- 

 sible, indeed, for any but beasts of prey to 

 subsist here, as we met with no sort of ve- 

 getation except here and there small 

 patches of stunted grass growing upon the 

 surface of the thick coat of dung which the 

 sea-fowls left in the crevices of the rocks, 

 and a species of moss, which occasionally 

 we met v/ith adhering to the rocks them- 

 selves, lu short, we traced the land nine 

 or ten degrees east and west, and about 

 three degrees north and south, and found 

 its general appearance always the same, 

 ^high, mountainous, barren, and universally 

 I Covered with suow, except where the rug- 

 ged summits of a black rock appeared 

 .Ihrbugh il, resembling a small island in 

 ,'iue midst of the ocean ; but from the late- 

 ' n'qss of the season, and the almost constant 

 ' w^s ia which we were enveloped, we could 

 jiu>i ascertain whether it formed part of a 

 /continent, or was only a group of islands. 

 t,n it is insular, there must be some of an 

 immense extent, as we found agulph nearly 

 i^J^O miles in depth, out of which we liad 

 ,8pmc diflBculty in finding our way back 

 ,,.^gaxa. \Vc left the coast on the 21st of 

 . jflarch, and arrived at Valparaiso on the 

 i4th of April, having touched at Juan Fer- 

 , ijiaudez for refreshment." 

 ., , FRANCE. 



[,^ Among other periodical publications, 

 ..there is one at Paris, bearing the name 

 of Bibliography of France. About 50 

 numbers appear annually, composing a 

 volume of from 800 to 1000 pages. 

 This work exhibits a list of all the 

 printed, works and re-impressions 

 throughout the French territory. Once 

 a week, there appears a number of 16 

 pages, more or less. Every publica- 

 tion, whether printed at Paris, or in 

 the departments, is noticed instantly 

 '.'After its appearance. Works of minor, 

 ..D^^^eIl as of the greatest importance, 

 ., i»re announced alike. The number of 

 ^ ,]lK)okselliQg articles announced in 1820 

 .^iiVras near 5000. The Editor, RI. Beu- 

 f..|}bot, well known as a bibliographer of 

 , ^extcBsive erudition, for the purpose of 

 Ikcilitating researches, adds,^t the end 

 of every year, three supplementary 

 numbers, an alpliabetical table of 

 woiks, an alphabetical table of aii- 

 thois, and a systematic or methodical 

 table^in which all the works announced 



through the year are arranged accord- 

 ing to their kinds or subject matter. 

 This journal contains, likewise, more 

 copious information than any other, 

 relative to engravings, geographical 

 charts and music. Under the title of 

 Varieties, M. Beuchot furnishes, from 

 time to time, notices of French w-orks 

 printed abroad, and translations of 

 French works into foreign languages, 

 foreign publications treating of Fiance 

 or the French, with bibliographical 

 notices respecting books and editions. 

 Under the head Necrology, the death 

 of French authors is announced, mostly 

 accompanied with the date ; and a list 

 of all such of their works as have 

 come to his knowledge. Every week 

 or fortnight, a table of such articles or 

 extracts as have been announced or 

 inserted in the principal journals of 

 Paris, will be found. Also the laws, 

 judicial decisions, &c. in reference to 

 Ijookselling, liberty of tht; press, and 

 literary properly, — generally witli the 

 text and its comments. The design 

 and effect of such a publication, in 

 many instances new, and far superior 

 to a dry nomenclature, seem entitled 

 to particular notice. '"■ 



No less than six edition.s of the 

 works of Voltaire and Rousseau are 

 at this time in course of publication in 

 Paris ; and they are all attended fey 

 success. 



The demand for bonks in Spain is 

 prodigious, and has kept the presses of 

 Paris in unexampled activity for some 

 months past. 



In the Treasury of the Cathedral 

 Church of Bayeux, Normandy, there is 

 an Arab monument, with the following 

 inscription : — " Bismillah errahmann 

 errahem ! Birhou kamilet ve nam ill i 

 schamilet.'* The translation annexed 

 has been lately sent from Vienna, by tiie 

 celebrated Orientalist Hanmer : — lu 

 the name of God, compassionate and 

 merciful ! He is perfect in justice, 

 and infinite in grace. 



The French journals announce a 

 General Telegraphy, or a new system 

 of telegraphs, which is called Nautical, 

 Commercial, and Individual. The 

 author is Vice Admiral Baron St. 

 Haoiien, who, by order of their Go- 

 vernment, has been making trials at 

 Havre, by laud and by sea, by night and 

 day, in every variation of the weathei. 

 The day-signals may be very well dis- 

 tinguished, and accurately repeated, at 

 three or four leagues distance 5 and the 

 night-signals, at four or five leagues, 



when 



