1825.] 
completed a design, for which the public'are 
looking with anxiety. 
Languages. —¥rom the work of the 
learned Adelung, we find that there exists 
no less than 3,064 different languages used 
in yarious parts of the earth.—There are 
of these, European ......... 587 
Alslatlejinsats- secre yhou 
African ...ct0s-0-. 276 
American «..s..... 1,264 
Steam- Boats. — More then nine-tenths, 
now in use in Europe, are the property of 
Englishmen—the steam-boats at Venice 
and Naples are English property, and an 
English Company has proposed to establish 
them on the lakes of Switzerland. 
In Siberia, thirty bullocks may be ob- 
tained for about £18 sierling ; the price 
of bread is 1} for 40 lbs. ; meat, 2s. 6d. for 
the same quantity ; corn and brandy equally 
cheap. . 
In the year 1824, the number of births 
in the Kingdom of Hanover was 52,274— 
that of the deaths 32,204—excess of births 
20,070. 
_ African Manners in the capital of Soo- 
lima.—In domestic occupations, the men 
and women appear in many, respects to 
have changed sexes. With the exception 
of sowing and reaping, the cares of hus- 
bandry are entirely left to the females, while 
the men look after the dairy and milk the 
cows. The women build houses, plaster 
walls, act as barbers and surgeons, &c. ; 
while the men employ themselves, as in 
Egypt, in sewing, and ‘not unfrequently 
washing clothes. 
Capiain N. J. Gordon, — Letters have 
been received which confirm the death cf 
Capt. Gordon, of the Navy, who had under- 
taken to ascend the Nile, and to penetrate 
to the springs of Bahr-el-Abiad. He had 
reached. Villet-Medinet, one day’s journey 
from Sennaar. The loss of this distin- 
guished officer adds another to the long 
list of victims to the adventurous spirit of 
African discovery. 
The Managers of Covent-Garden are 
very busy in the arrangements for bringing 
out the “ Coronation of Charles X.’ We 
understand it is to exceed in splendour, any 
thing of the kind ever before brought for- 
ward, It is to be produced exactly a week 
after the actual coronation; and, even now, 
French artists are employed to conduct the 
arrangements, dresses, &c.— It is rumoured 
in the green-room, that the house is not to 
be closed this summer. 
Gold Mines in Russia have been discovered 
- near Catharineburgh, in the. Ural Moun- 
 tains;—and, if the statement be not exag- 
_ gerated, this discovery, and the immense 
wealth of the mines, are facts not Jess 
_ unexpected than important. 
_ » Almospheric, Tides. —1t appears from the 
Literary and Miscellaneous Intelligence. 
473 
it might almost serve for an instrument to 
measure time. Various other philosophers 
have noticed this regularity of movement. 
Burmese Ordeal.—The following mode 
of trial by ordeal prevails in the Burman 
Empire:—A certain quantity of wax is 
weighed in two equal portions, and formed 
into two candles, which are lighted at the 
same instant; one is held by the plaintiff, 
the’other by the defendant, and the holder 
of the candle first burnt out is adjudged to 
lave sworn falsely; and of course to haye 
lost the cause. 
We mentioned in our last No. (p. 331), 
in a note on the communication of our in- 
telligent correspondent G*, on the proposed 
London University, that some gentlemen 
of high learning and science, ii co-operation 
with certain liberal-minded bankers and mer- 
chants, had it in contemplation to establish 
an Institution for the non operatives, of 
similar tendency with that of Dr. Birk- 
beck fer the operatives or mechanics, and 
expressed our hopes that we should shortly 
be enabled to lay before our readers the plan 
of such institution. We have not been dis- 
appointed. The ‘“ Prospectus of a Literary 
and Scientific Institution for persons en- 
gaged in commercial and professional pur- 
suits, ‘to be called The City of London In- 
stitution,” has been sent to us by one of its 
most zealous and enlightened promoters. 
Among the liberal and intelligent patrons of 
this yet incipient, but important institution, 
we are happy to recognize the names 
of Sir John W. Lubbock, Bart., Mr. John 
Smith, M.P:, Mr. John Martin, M. P., 
Mr. Ald. Thompson, M.P., &e. After 
a brief exposition of the objects and uti- 
lities, of the plan, and an enumeration of 
some of the purposed means—such as 
lectures on the most interesting and im- 
portant departments of science and. litera- 
ture, including polite literature, history, 
mathematics, the principles of trade and 
commerce, and the most instructive branches 
of natural and moral philosophy—lectures, 
and the formation of classes for the attain- 
ment of the French, Latin, or any other 
language which the members may wish to 
learn—the establishment of a library of 
reference and circulation, and also rooms 
for reading and conversation’’—the pros- 
pectus proceeds to state, that “ It has been 
computed that the above purposes may be 
fully realized by the co-operation of a num- 
ber of subscribers, not less than four hun- 
dred, at two pounds per annum each ; that 
as soon as there appears a suilicient. pros- 
pect of such a number coming forward, 
immediate measures will be taken to esta- 
blish the institution; and, that “as a 
preliminary step, and for the purpose. of 
bringing together those who may desire to 
become members, it has been deemed- ad- 
visable to commence with. a course ‘of 
three lectures ; the first of which is intend- 
ed to point out the advantages that. may 
be expected to result from this mstitution ;. 
3k and 
observations of Colonel Wright that, in the 
neighbourhood of the Equator, the diurnal 
rise and fall of the barometer (two Uegrees 
_ in twenty-four hours) is so regular, that 
* , Montury Mac. No. 410. 
