1829.] 



Fine Arts' Exhibitions. 



575 



encouragement among those who either that among the views abeady given are two 



cannot, or will not, possess themselves of of peculiar interest — Abbotsford, the seat of 



those works having a similar object, but Sir M' alter Scott, and Greta Hall, the resi- 



pursuing it by a more expensive road. De- dence of Mr. Southey. 

 tail is unnecessary ; but we may mention, 



VARIETIES, SCIENTIFIC AND MISCELLANEOUS. 



Earthquake in France Intelligence has 



been sent to the Academy of Sciences in 

 Paris, that two shocks of an earthquake, 

 with an interval of a second between, had 

 been felt in the department of the Upper 

 Rhine, at Colmar, about 3, a. m., of the 

 eighth of August. At Pontroye and Belfort 

 the shock was more violent, and accompa- 

 nied by a sound like distant thunder. 



Natural Syphon Several spouting and 



intermittent springs are situated in the de- 

 partmentsof theDoubsand theHaute-Saone, 

 in France. Among these the most curious 

 is denominated Frais-Pu'tts, distant about 

 three miles from Vesoul, and known for 

 many centuries, since Gollet, the historian 

 of Franche-Comte, speaks of it in his me- 

 moirs. This spring discharges every two, 

 three, four, or five years, sometimes after 

 rain, sometimes without rain, a great quan- 

 tity of water which rises to a considerable 

 height, soon forms a torrent, and inundates 

 the whole valley as well as the low ground 

 about Vesoul, and even the lower parts of 

 the town, and presenting the appearance of 

 a great river, runs into the Saone three 

 leagues from Vesoul. This eruption of 

 water continues sometimes for three days, 

 after which the waters retire by degrees 

 until the torrent ceases to flow. A gentle- 

 man has recently visited the Frais-Puils, 

 and found it in a mountain to the east of 

 the city under an enormous rock. The 

 opening of this abyss represents a vast fun- 

 nel, shaped like a crater, having a diameter 

 of about twenty yards, and being 10 or 17 

 yards deep, getting narrower as it descends. 

 On going to the bottom of the funnel, the 

 sides of which are entirely formed of loose 

 sand, there is an opening two or three yards 

 wide, and about one yard deep, filled with 

 clear, perfectly still water, on a level witli 

 the opening. Sticks thrown into it are lost, 

 and stones cast into it make no noise, and 

 do not agitate the water ; so that when this 

 abyss discharges its waters they nmst bubble 

 up more than thirty feet, whicli they do 

 with a noise wliich is heard to a considerable 

 distance, and then rushing into the bed of a 

 torrent, whicli is worn away by them, they 

 run down a sharp descent along a valley for 

 2,000 yards which, when the waters are not 

 flowing, is the direct patli to Frais-Puits. 

 On the opposite side of the same mountain 

 is found the Font de C'hamp-Damoi/,a spring 

 which flows continually, and appears to be 

 only tlie surjilus water from the Frais-Fuitx. 

 We must leave our readers to form an idea 

 uf (lie magnitude of a reservoir which could 



supply for three days such an enormous body 

 of water. 



Rail-Roads in France — That rail-roads 

 are far preferable to canals for communica- 

 tion is a truth of which England has been 

 only of late convinced by the dear-bought 

 fruits of experience. Our continental neigh- 

 bours, profiting by our discovery, are gradu- 

 ally extending tliroughout the whole of their 

 fine country, a system of communication 

 by rail-roads v/hich ultimately will be of 

 extreme benefit to their domestic commerce. 

 The tram-road between St. Etienne and 

 Lyons is now ra])idly advancing ; and from 

 the tunnels, bridges, and embankments re- 

 quired for its completion will be inferior to 

 none which this kingdom can at present 

 boast. 



To extract a Glass Stopper. — It fre- 

 quently happens that the glass stoppers of 

 vials and bottles filled with scents and che- 

 mical preparations, become fixed so tightly 

 that they cannot be removed by force with- 

 out the risk of breaking the vessel. The 

 following is a very simple and efficacious 

 method of unstopping them, which is brought 

 into notice by an intelligent writer in a 

 German publication. Take a large strip of 

 wool, pass it once round the neck of the 

 bottle, attach one end of this band to some 

 fixed object, hold the other, and then see- 

 saw the bottle along it. The friction will 

 soon soon heat the neck of the bottle, and, 

 with the heat, the neck will expand suffici- 

 ently to allow of the stopper being ex- 

 tracted. 



Catcidalinff Boy Both in this country 



and in America some boys have appeared of 

 late years, remarkable for their precocious 

 talent in investigating numbers. Another 

 has been met with in Sicily, who, from the 

 accounts that have been transmitted respect- 

 ing him, will rival, if not surpass, any of his 

 precursors. He has been frequently exa- 

 mined in public ; and it would seem that 

 his method, like that of all the others who 

 have fallen under the notice of scientific 

 men, is an application which may be called 

 natural, of the rule of false position. One 

 of our most distinguished English, or rather 

 Scotch, engineers at the present time, was a 

 youth of this description, and exhibited as a 

 prodigy. The hand of benevolence wa.s 

 extended for his sup])ort and education ; 

 and he reflects as nuicli credit upon the 

 profession to whicli he belongs as upon the 

 individuals to wliom he was indebted for the 

 means of liis advancement. M'e are happy 

 to say tliat similar prospects await tlic young 



