1823.] > 
and country, and that I have no interest 
whatever in any distillery. 
Joun BuRRIDGE. » 
The manufacture of pyro-ligneous 
acid has heen recently introduced into 
this country. It is distilled from oak- 
tops, lops, coppices, &c. (after being 
barked as usual for tanners,) which 
are put into iron retorts, similar to 
gas-works, and heated underneath 
with coals ; by which simple means 
the acid is extracted and condensed, 
through various pipes, into reservoirs 
or cisterns ; whilst the wood itself is 
reduced into charcoal, which is sold 
at 2s. or 2s. 3d. per bushel, and defrays 
the expense of the operation. The 
acid is a most powerful antiseptic, 
generally used for vinegar, and some- 
times medicinally ; but I find it pos-- 
sesses strong tanning properties, much 
better for crop-hides than dressing 
leather. Abundance of more whole- 
some substitutes may be found for 
vinegar, in malt, &c. 
Oak-faggots, &c. were formerly ex- 
elusively used by bakers, &c. who 
have found a cheaper substitute in 
coke fron: gas-works ; consequently 
“no public inconvenience can arise 
from this improvement, as it would 
have done had the distilleries of pyro- 
ligneous acid been introduced before 
gas-lights. 
i therefore conclude by stating, that 
my Treatise on Dry-rot is in the press, 
and the Treatise on the Art of Tan- 
ning will speedily be completed, toge- 
ther with plans for new tan-yards, and 
steam-engines for grinding bark and 
pumping liquors, &c, 
Joun Burnipce. 
— 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, « 
WAS gratified to find that one of 
your correspondents has, in your 
Jast Number, endeavoured to draw 
public attention to that neglected part 
of his Majesty’s dominions, the Bahama 
Islands. As the soil and climate of 
those islands are well adapted for the 
cultivation of those articles which your 
correspondent has enumerated, : and 
perhaps of some others, I entertain no 
doubt but that, if the produce of those 
articles was properly attended to, a 
profitable commerce might be main- 
tained between England and the Ba- 
hamas ; sisice they would undoubtedly 
receive a preference in the British 
market over the same articles the pro- 
duet of foreign countries, because our 
Tke Bahama Islands.—Book-making ! 
315 
manufactures would be received in 
exchange. 
I trust that such of your readers as 
may be able to answer the enquiries 
of your correspondent R. will imme- 
diately do so; and they will oblige, 
Aug. 22, 1823. A. B. 
P.S.—Your correspondent R. may find 
some information respecting the Bahamas, 
in Harriott’s “Struggles through Life.” 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
N amusing, but far-fetched, piece 
of biography, entitled “‘ Memoirs 
of Benvenuto Cellini, a Florentine 
artist,” &c. has lately appeared ; but is 
falsely announced as being now first 
translated into English by Thomas 
Roscoe. This is as gross an untruth 
as if some translator were to announce 
the Adventures of the renowned Don 
Quixote de la Mancha, now first trans- 
lated from the Spanish of Cervantes. I 
beg to inform that portion of the pub- 
lic who are unacquainted with the 
fact, that a translation of the eccentric 
Benvenuto was published by Thomas 
Nugent, Li.p. in two octavo volumes, 
in 1771, and dedicated by him to Sir - 
Joshua Reynolds. This fact, although 
hidden for sinister purposes, is well 
known to the proprietors of the pre- 
scnt edition, who have prefixed the 
same engraving of Cellini, by Collier, 
from Vasari’s painting, which was ap- 
pended to Dr. Nugent’s edition.» The 
name of Roscoe is a bright unfading 
star in the intellectual hemisphere, and 
should not be impoverished in its im- 
portance by such trickery of a book- 
seller for purposes of Mammon, 
Sutton-at-fone, Kent. EENortT. 
— >_> 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
OTWITHSTANDING the innu- 
merable interesting and impor- 
tant facts which your Magazine has 
been the means of developing to the 
world, I think I may venture to say, 
that, take the whole collectively, they 
fall short in interest and importance, 
in comparison with the interest and 
importance of the conclusions to be 
drawn from the following Statement, 
which commences with the year sub- 
sequent to the termination of the war 
against France, Spain, and Holland ; 
and the recognition of the United 
States of America. The notations a 
to g refer to certain important eras or 
events, during the’ period 1764 to the 
present time, Stavement 
