1798. ] 
of aftronomy in Paris is entrufted to my 
charge: as are likewife the lectures in 
the College de France ; the fuperintendance 
of the obfervatories ; the poft of fecretary 
to the Bureau des Longitudes ; the reports 
for the National Inftitute; the corre- 
fpondence foreign and domeftic ; the pre- 
paration of the journals ; the calculations 
and publication of the Connoiffance des 
Jems; the diftribution of rewards and 
premiums; and the application to Go- 
vernment for pecuniary affiftance to pro- 
mote the advancement of the {cience. I 
have further, aftronomical obfervations to 
make, calculations to finifh, and to draw 
up memoirs. Thus, you may fee, my 
dear friend, I am fully immerged in bu- 
finefs: I have indeed affociates and fel- 
low-labourers ; but ftill it is neceffary, 
for me to fuperintend the whole. Study 
is become an indifpenfible requifite in my 
exiftence ; aftronomy the ruling paflion of 
my foul. The poets inform us, that the 
fwan always fings before it dies; when 
the hour of my diffolution fhall ftrike, 
aftronomy will be my fong; but my 
health is fo perfeétly eftablifhed, that I 
truft many years will elapfe, before I 
fhall chaunt my laft ditty.” 
eee ee 
Over the door of the facrifty in the ci- 
devant church of Saint Leu at Paris are 
feveral panes of ftained glafs, on which 
is painted the hiftory of the annunci- 
ation. On one siue is the holy Virgin 
on her knees faying her prayers; on the 
other the arch-angel Gabriel, and in the 
corner of the room a little pigeon, from 
whofe bill proceeds a pyramidieal ray, 
containing a well formed embryo. | This 
ridiculous picture illuftrates the well 
‘known hymn, fung- in Roman Catholic 
churches, — 
<¢ Gaude, Virgo, mater Chriflt 
<< Que per aurem concepifi1.”” 
Lamonnaye, the poet, has not omitted 
in his ‘¢ Noéls-bourguignons,’” quoting 
Mary, conceiving a fine ftrapping boy by 
_ the ear (Noél. 7. page 27. edit. of 1720.) 
The prefent French minifter has ordered 
this abfurd compofition to be removed to 
the Mufeum of French Monuments: of 
the Arts, as a proof of the fuperftitious 
credulity of former times. 
In the courfe of this month will be 
publifhed at Paris, a work entitled «* Me- 
langes tirés des Manujfcrits de feue Madame 
Necker, 3 vol.'in $vo. (ifcellaneous 
obfervations extra€ted from the manu- 
{cripts of the late Madam Necker.) Mr. 
Necker, who fince his erafure from the 
lift of emigrants, fuiould heuceforth be 
_been printed. 
‘\ 
Forty Articles of Scientific Intelligence. 131 
called citizen Necker, is the editor of 
_this work. 
In Zuric there has lately been publifhed 
in German, in 4to. a work entitled ‘‘ Ob- 
fervations of Hyppolita Clairon on her- 
felf, and on the Dramatic Art.’ It is 
-in fact a tranflation of a manufcript of 
that celebrated aétrefs, which has never 
The firft volume contains 
merely particulars, relative to the life 
and perfon of Madam Clairon; the fe~ 
cond is to comprize her obfervations on 
the dramatic art.” 
A great variety of medical and chemi- 
cal works have lately made their appear- 
ance in America, on the origin and mode 
of prevention of the yellow fever. It 
feems to be generally admitted, that the 
fever is not an imported difeafe, at leat 
that it has in feveral inftances, originated 
from the putrefying offal of animal and 
vegetable matter, about the docks of the 
-American ports: with the removal of 
this infecting mafs the fever has uniform- 
ly been mitigated and gradually removed. 
Upon this faét Dr. MircHILL,has found- 
ed a theory, which is at prefent very po- 
pular, that azote, or nitrous gas, (called 
by him Septon and the Septic acid) is the 
proximate caule of infectious fever; and 
that lime and the alkalis by neutralizing 
the acid deftroy the fource of infection. 
The epidemics which have lately ra- 
vaged fo large a part of the United States 
of America, have not been confined ta 
the human fpecies: the cats have been 
affected with a diftemper fimilar to that 
which proved fo fatal to them in London 
laft year: horned cattle alfo have been 
very generally difeafed : the foxes in fome 
parts of Maffachufets and New Hamp- 
fhire, have fallen in great numbers by 
difeafe ; and in fome of the Eaftern Statey 
geefe have been affected in a very fingu- 
lar manner: many have been feen to feize 
fome objeét with their bills and adhere to 
it till they died. 
The chemical fociety of Philadelphit 
have appointed a committee of five mem- 
bers, to analyfe gratis, any ore or mine- 
ral fubftances that fhall be fent by any ci- 
tizen, free of expence, and accompanied 
vith an account of the place and fitua- 
tion in which it was found. 
The Agricultural Society of Conneéti- 
cut, are forming a colle&tion of facts for 
publication, on the ufe of Gypfum, or- 
Platter of Paris, as a manure. 
Samples of wheat from Algiers, and 
feeds of a new fpecies of flax, from India, 
have been lately received and diitribyted 
by the New York Agzicultural Society. 
‘The 
