284 New Musical Instrnmeiit . — Antiquities, &c. 



of the zeal with which they cultivated the sciences in the 10th 

 and 1 1th centuries, and on account of the voyages they made 

 to America. Iceland, almost ruined by various physical and 

 political misfortunes, is about to be restored ; a regular city 

 is building, to be called Rcyhiavig ; and it is already peopled 

 by colonies of luitives as well as strangers ; a free port invites 

 the vessels of commerce ; and a college, where even the an- 

 tient languages and natural history are taught, is in the full 

 exercise of its functions. 



NEW MUSICAL .INSTRUMENT. 



M. Dicz, at Emmerich on the Rhine, has invented anew 

 musical instrument, which he calls a Melodion. It occupies 

 less room than an ordinary piano forte, and may be played on by 

 any comnjon performer, after a little practice. That which 

 distinguishes it above all other instruments of the kind, is 

 thecircumstanceof its producing the sounds of the clarionet, 

 bautbois, and bassoon, in the softest piano or the most bril- 

 liant forte movements. The cost of such an instrument is 

 about 40 louis d'ors. 



AXTIQUITIES. 



A letter from Petersburgh, of the igth of March, mentions 

 the discovery of two great cities in the Russian empire, of 

 which no traces can be discovered in history ; one of them 

 in the Isle of I'aman in the Black Sea, the other in a di- 

 strict in Siberia. 



CHKMICAL AFFINITIES. 



An inte!ligcnt correspondent, Mr. Collard of Birming- 

 ham, the proprietor of a chemical laboratory in that neigh- 

 bourhood, in which many articles necessary to the arts and 

 manufactures of this kingdom are prepared on a very large 

 scale, has connnunicated to us a new fact well worthy of 

 the attention of chemists. 



Contrary to the common tables of affinities, he finds that 

 copper may be precipitated from its solution in the sul- 

 phuric acid by tin. All that is necessary to the success of 

 the experiment is, that the solution be nearly at the boiling 

 point, or actually boiling, when the tin is put into it. The 

 tin made use of ought to be in filings or in leaf, or reduced 

 3 to 



