1836.] Governor General's Conversazione. 683 



and the stimulus which has heen wanting since the days of Minto and 

 Mojra, will again be restored. 



We have hardly room to describe the conduct of the first meeting, nor 

 do we think any formal report of a soiree, intended to be private, and 

 sans formality, would be becoming. It is more to satisfy our distant 

 readers as to the nature of the parties, which they can so materially 

 benefit, to speak paradoxically, by their absence, that we venture to in- 

 sert the brief notice, which appeared in the daily papers. 



" The south-west or drawing-room wing of the Government House was taste- 

 fully laid out with all the novelties in the arts, in antiquities and in natural 

 history, that could readily be brought together. On the pier tables of the cor- 

 ridore leading to the rooms, were disposed very numerous specimens of the 

 plants now in flower at the Botanical Garden, each ticketed with its classical 

 name. 



" On entering the ante-room, a very splendid collection of insects was seen 

 displayed on the tables and against the walls, in convenient cabinets : the newest 

 addition to these, (which comprised a portion of Dr. Pearson's and of the 

 Asiatic Society's cabinets) was the donation of Mr. George Loch of the Civil 

 Service, to the Asiatic Society, at a recent meeting. A fine collection of shells 

 just received from His Excellency the Governor of Ceylon, was distributed on 

 the side tables of the principal saloon. In an adjoining apartment were selected 

 fragments of the rich and highly curious Buddhist sculpture, discovered by 

 Captain Cunningham, in the neighbourhood of the Sa'rna'th tumulus near 

 Benares, and presented by him to the Asiatic Society. On another table the 

 last fossil discovery by Dr. Spilsbury, the socket of the thigh-bone of an 

 elephant from the rock at Segouni, whence Capt. Sleeman first brought to 

 light the fossils of the Nerbudda valley. By its side were placed the femur of a 

 modern and of a fossil elephant (the latter of an animal 15 feet in height) to 

 shew that the present socket must, from its curvature, have belonged to a still 

 more monstrous animal ! 



" On the round tables of the drawing room were spread out numerous beauti- 

 ful drawings — of Mr. Hodgson's Nipal Zoology ; of Dr. Cantor's collection of 

 Indian Snakes ; of Dr. McClelland's Assamese Zoology ; and all the designs 

 sent in to the Committee of the Metcalfe Library. In other convenient spots 

 were displayed a wax magnified model of the human ear : stuffed objects of 

 natural history, and models of Malay praws, presented by Capt. Chads, &c. 



" After the company had severally made the round of these objects, their 

 attention was drawn to the table which Professor O'Shatjghnessy had prepared 

 for the exhibition of his very ingenious model of the application of the late 

 galvano-magnetic discoveries to the practical attainment of a working power. 



" It would be impossible here to describe fully the construction of this curious 

 wheel : — a number of horse-shoe magnets of soft iron, with wire coiled round 

 them, were arranged on its spokes, so as to present their poles successively in 

 rotation before the opposite poles of a more powerful magnet (also artificial) 

 fixed on a stand at the side ; the wires of the several wheel magnets were con- 

 ducted in a manner not readily seen, so as to terminate in mercurial cups, into 

 which were dipped the two wires of a small galvanic battery ; on charging the 

 latter, rotation ensued, and by a contrivance, as each revolving magnet arrived 

 by the force of attraction, at the fixed magnet, its poles were instantaneously 

 reversed so as to cause repulsion, while the next magnet above was attracted. 

 We hope to see a full account of the Professor's successful adaptation when his 

 apparatus is matured. The model worked steadily with 10 oz. power. 



" The converse of the problem, or the development of a galvanic force from 

 the ordinary magnet, was then exhibited on an adjoining table by a beautiful 

 apparatus belonging to Mr. James Prinsep. Water was decomposed by the 

 magnet ; a candle was lighted by it ; and an electric shock was administered to 

 many of the spectators, among whom the native gentlemen in particular betray- 

 ed considerable astonishment at its effects. 



" At the close of the evening refreshments were partaken of in the marble hall, 

 and the guests retired at half-past eleven, apparently much pleased with the 

 novel entertainment prepared for them by their illustrious host." 



