1815.] Scientific Intelligence. a7 
base of this salt is not soluble, or together with this base if it be so- 
luble, and then under the form of a metallo-fluoret with an oxide, 
a body analogous to the sulphurets and phosphurets of the same 
substance.* J.B. Van Mons. 
XI. Death of George Montague, Esq. 
This celebrated British zoologist who had attained the 76th year 
of his age; but was still healthy and vigorous, and actively em- 
ployed in his favourite pursuits, about a fortnight ago wounded his 
foot with a nail, which rendered him lame. He was at length 
seized with locked jaw and all its concomitant horrors, and died in 
the course of the following day. In him Britain loses a zealous and 
successful zoologist. His works are well known and highly valued 
by naturalists in general. 
XII. School of Athens. 
Most of my readers are probably aware, that for some time past 
the Greeks have displayed a considerable desite to put themselves 
on a footing, in point of knowledge, with the other nations of Eu- 
rope. Schools have been erected in different parts of the country, 
books have been translated from the Italian, the French, the Ger- 
man and the English, several original Greek works have appeared, 
Greek newspapers have been regularly published for some years 
past, and even a Greek periodical work is edited at Vienna. Athens, 
formerly the seat of science and of the arts, is still a considerable 
city, inhabited chiefly by Greeks. The inhabitants enjoy a greater 
degree of liberty and are distinguished by a greater degree of spright- 
liness, intrigue, and wit, than are to be found in the other cities of 
Greece. Formerly there existed a school in Athens supported by a 
sum of money which a charitable Athenian had lodged in the bank 
of Venice. But when this bank was destroyed by the conquest of 
Venice by Bonaparte, the income of course was at an end, and 
this obliged the inhabitants of Athens to shut up their school. 
About six years ago Dr. Rhasis being travelling through Greece, 
was affected even to tears when he observed the state of Athens, re- 
duced to subjection and even deprived of a school. He summoned 
a meeting of the principal inhabitants, and after they had concerted 
the means of re-establishing the school, he accepted the title of 
Ephorus, or principal director of it, which the inhabitants offered 
him. On his return to Constantinople he consolidated the school 
by the privileges which he obtained from the government and the 
patriarch, and at present the school of Athens flourishes under his 
inspection. The following is an extract of a letter from Mr. John 
Polama, Professor of the school, dated the 27th May 1814, in 
which he gives an account to Dr. Rhasis of the solemn distribution 
of the prizes. It is published in the “Epuns ¢ Avyios (the Literary 
* The aecount of Gay-Lussac’s opinions respecting the combination of chlorine 
and oxygen in this letter is very obscure to me, probably from not understand- 
jog the nomenclature of Van Mons, I have translated it therefore as literally a» 
possible, T, 
