SOIREES AT THE LIVERPOOL ROYAL INSTITUTION. 
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An extensive and unique gallery of casts from the antique, showing the progress 
of Sculpture, from the earliest ages to those of the most refined period of 
the art. 
A series of curious and interesting specimens of the works of the earliest 
Italian painters. 
Etruscan, Egyptian, and other antiquities. 
Amongst various specimens in Natural History and the Fine Arts that were 
placed in the Institution for the gratification of the company, were the fol¬ 
lowing rare plants :— Sinningia guttata , Ceroptopteris thalictroides , Euphor¬ 
bia pulcherrima , Aerostichum alcicorne , Cereus senilis, Zygopetalum Mackai , 
Epidendrum fragrans , belonging to C. S. Parker, Esq.; severafparts of 
Bateman’s Orchidacece , and Professor Agassiz’ admirable work on fossil fish, 
belonging to the same gentleman; and many valuable paintings, the property 
of Thomas Winstanley, Esq. 
In the course of the*evening Mr. R. Adie exhibited a differential hydrometer for 
measuring the rate of the sailing of vessels. It is derived from the differential 
barometer of the late Dr. Wollaston. The measure of the current of water is 
the buoyant force of a column of oil, immersed below the level of the water in 
the arm of a glass tube bent nearly double, one half filled with oil and the other 
half with water. 
The second Soiree was held on the 10th of January. Owing to the disap¬ 
pointment experienced by parties at the last meeting, in not being able to obtain 
tickets, and the success which attended it, the sub-committees deemed it expedient 
to issue 100 additional tickets. 
J. N. Walker, Esq., president for the evening, introduced Dr. Sutherland, 
who read a very interesting paper on the connexion between the geological struc¬ 
ture of a country and its natural scenery; it was originally delivered at the 
December meeting of our Natural History Society, and seemed to give great 
satisfaction. 
They were remarks made during a tour in Switzerland and part of Italy, and 
a portion of his remarks applied to England. The following is an extract, which, 
if you think proper, you can insert:—Where soft rocks exist, the mountains 
assume a rounded appearance. The insinuation of water between masses of 
rocks, and the effects of cold on it afterwards, exercise so powerful a degree of 
force as to dissever large masses of rock, which cause their downfall and consider¬ 
ably affect the general outline of the landscape. The first or primitive formation 
comprehends granite, and is the lowest in the series, but by volcanic and other 
powerful agents it becomes broken-up and raised above the surface; some of the 
highest mountains in Europe are of this formation. They are characterised by 
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