Miscellanea. 
is weak in itself, but owing to the steepness 
of the ground in front, a stronger one is 
scarcely required. There is no height equal 
to that of the fortress, within cannon shot 
of it, and the isthmus could easily be de- 
fended, as the approaches to it must be 
made down hill ; while the high ground, on 
the side next the fortress, commands the 
other, so that it would be difficult for 
besiegers to cover themselves from so plung- 
inga fire. The Isthmus might easily be 
cut, and a heavy sea would pour through, 
during all northerly and southerly winds. 
The harbour is, I am told, rather dangerous 
for large ships to enter, but it is very de- 
sirable that an accurate survey should be 
619 
made of this place, whose great strength 
may again become of use. ‘The Venetians 
built it as a place of refuge for the Chris- 
tians, against the victorious Mahomedans ; 
and it may again come into play, for the 
Turks are not the only barbarians in the 
world, though they are, perhaps, the. most 
savage ; and we may yet learn that the 
north is more to be feared than the east ; 
although the former is professedly Chris- 
tian, penetrated in all directions by missio- 
naries, and brim-full of Bibles. ‘The town 
of Asso is prettily situated in a small val- 
ley, touching the Isthmus, and is very 
healthy, and well supplied with water.” 
MISCELLANEA. 
NEW ZOOLOGICAL PROJECT. 
PROSPECTUS has been circulated 
under the auspices of Sir H. Davy, 
the object of which is the formation of a 
Society for the promotion of Zoology, on a 
similar plan to the Horticultural Society 
for the improvement of gardening. It is 
thus entitled :—“ Prospectus of a society 
for introducing and domesticating new 
breeds or varieties of animals, such as qua- 
drupeds, birds, or fishes, likely to be useful 
in common life; and for forming a general 
collection in zoology.” 
The planis nowincirculation,and contains 
the names of between seyenty and eighty 
(chiefly) distinguished individuals, who have 
become subscribers at the annual rate of 
two pounds, with an entrance fee of three. 
In this it is proposed to establish a so- 
ciety bearing the same relations to zoology 
aud animal life that the Horticultural 
Society bears to botany and the vegetable 
kingdom. 
“ The object is to attempt the introdue- 
tion of new races of quadrupeds, birds, 
or fishes, &e. applicable to purposes of 
atility, either in our farm yards, gardens, 
woods, waters, lakes, or rivers; and to 
connect with this object a general zoologi- 
cal collection of prepared specimens.” 
And the public at large is invited to pro- 
duce those who wish to be original mem~- 
bers of this original society. Annual sub- 
scription two guineas, entrence three 
guineas. 
The Physharmonica.—This is a, keyed 
instrument, of an entirely new invention ; 
of small compass, being about two feet 
Jong, one and a-half foot wide, and at most 
a foot in height. The internal mechanism, 
Mr. Schulz, whose elder son plays on it, 
keeps a secret ; it is however generally sup- 
posed that the tone is produced by the 
air being put in motion by bellows, so as to 
strike against metal staves. The tone is 
the most singular part of the invention ; 
it resembles the hautboit more than any 
other wind-instrument, though to some ears 
it appears to'sound like the clarionet or 
violin. Rapid passages, as well as slow 
ones, may be played on it in full harmony. 
Oriental Literary Curiosity— The Seven 
Seas; a Dictionary and Grammar of the 
Persian Language. By his Majesty the 
King of Oude. “In seven parts. Printed 
at his Majesty’s press, in the city of Luck- 
now, 1822. Seven volumes folio; fifteen 
inches in length, and eleven in breadth.— 
This is a truly splendid work, which the 
Sultan of Aud (Oude) Abulmusaffir Mui- 
seddin’ Schahi Seman Ghasieddin. Haider 
Padischah, (z.e. Father of the victorious, the 
adorer of the Faith, the Schach of the age, 
the conqueror of the faith, the lion, the 
Padischah), has himself composed, and 
given several copies to the East-India 
Company, to be distributed in Europe. 
The first six volumes contain the Dic- 
tionary, and the seventh the Grammar. On 
every page, above the number, are the arms 
of the Sultan—two lions, each holding a 
standard ; two fish, a throne and crown, 
a star, and waves of the sea. The two 
lions express the proper name, Haider, 
which signifies lion. The standard, the 
throne, crown, and stars, allude to the 
above titles ; and the waves, probably to 
the title of the book. Since the time of 
Abulfeda, the learned prince of Hamah, of 
the dynasty Ejub (who died in 1332), who 
is well known in Europe as a great historian 
and geographer, no Asiatic prince has done 
such essential service to the sciences, in 
the shape of an author, as the Sultan of 
Aud, by the compilation and publication of 
this most complete of all Persian Dictiona- 
ries. My. V. Hammer (to whom the work 
has been sent by John Company) announ- 
ces, that when he has examined all the 
seven volumes, he wil) publish a detailed 
account of their contents, and exhibit all the 
earls of philological affinity, between the 
Persian and German especially, which he 
may lave fished up out of the seven seas. 
