128 
but if vitality fhould be immediately de- 
ftroyed, they could not prevent the body 
from defcending, as we may fee when the 
animal fuddenly receives a fhot. 
In the inftance of the fkaiter, the mo- 
tion is in an horizontal direétion, and the 
weight ts fupported by the ice; the fmal- 
deft impulfe beyond that which may be re- 
quifite to overcome the friction, which in 
this cafe is but trifling, will give motion 
to the body, and the velocity will be in 
proportion tothe impreffed force ; but this 
impulfe is produced as in walking, by pufh- 
ing back one foot. 
In the flight of the bird, I can difcern no 
ampulfe which ican conceive to ‘be compe- 
tent to the production of fuch a velocity, 
and that continued through a confidera- 
ble fpace with a continual change of di- 
re€tion, and fometimes againft a wind fuf- 
ficient to impel a fhip at the rate of eight 
er ten miles anhour. I allow that we may 
occalionally perceive a gentle flapping of 
the wing, but the effet of ‘this is to pre- 
vent the body from defcending, and very 
inadequate to the production of the motions 
above defcribed. 
Though I reject the inftance of the 
ikaiter, as proving any thing againft my 
theory ; [think we get a glimpfe of a power 
fimilar to that with which I have endowed 
the bird, in the furprifing’ feats of the 
vaulters, who exhibit on the ftages in the 
vicinity of London. "When I fee a man 
fpring over fix horfes, with each a man on 
his back, and making a complete revolu- 
tion while in the air, the effet to me ap- 
pears to exceed al] power'of mufcular ex- 
ertion.. May not the minds of thefe vaul- 
ters, whilf under the courfe of exercife and 
practice neceflary to attain thefe powers, 
acquire the habit of acting upon the body in 
a certain deoree fimilar to what [{uppofe to 
exift in the bird 5 they feem to launch their 
bodies in the air with confidence, and to 
feel a confcioufnefs that’they can counter- 
act the ufual effects of gravitation. How- 
ever on this Ido not lay any great ftrefs ; 
but be it as it may, the flight of the birds 
is to my epprehenfion abfolutely inexplica- 
ble’ on the common received principles of 
mechanical metion. ‘That mind is con- 
cerned in fome degree in all animal motion 
¥s univerfally admitted, and I only contend 
for a more eatenfive influence of this prin- 
ciple than has hitherto been fuppofed to 
exift. If any one can give me a more fa- 
tisfactory folutton, my mind, not over te- 
nacious of its own notions, is ready to ad. 
mit it. Of the a&ion of mind upon body 
we know very little; the prefent fubject 
@ppears to me to afford a curious initance 
On the Flight of Birds. 
[March «, 
of the power of mind over the inertnefs of 
matter. Ifthe idea be new, which I by 
no means pretend to maintain, it may be 
found worth profecuting, and may lead to 
the extenfion of our knowledge on this 
fubject ; and the fpeculation is at leaft amuf- 
ing, curious, and innocent. 
Bath, Fan.11, 1800.  OBSERVATOR. 
—aa— 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, < 
T CANNOT well forbear to pay my 
JL tribute of refpeét to your correfpond- 
ent, J. L. for having, inthe laft number of 
your very ufeful mifcellany, drawn the pub- 
lic mind to the important fubje& of Bene- 
fit Societies. The hints which he has 
given for their extenfion and improvement 
deferve the moft ferious regard of the phil- 
anthropift, the magiftrate, and the legiflator: 
indeed, without the intervention of the late 
ter, the objects which J. L. has in view can 
in no confiderable degree be effeéted. The 
Jate bill, which in a manner incorporated 
focieties of this defcription, has, notwith- 
ftanding its political leaven, much merit. 
The pleafure I felt at the difcovery, that 
the poor in particular, and fociety at large,, 
had met with fo zealous and difinterefted 
an advocate in J. L. was confiderably dif 
pelled, when I came to his remarks on the 
‘difficulties real and imaginary, which are 
oppofed to inftitutions fuch as he wifhes 
to have eftablithed. . I fighed.at the confi- 
deration, that not only muft ‘the poor 
man often trudge a good! way, lofe his 
time, and fpend his money, to make his. 
little.depofits, but that the fund itfelf may 
fail from the poverty or knavery of the 
party entrufted with it; and what is more, 
that from the prefent price of the neceffa- 
ries of life, moft of the poor can {pare no- 
thing from theirearnings. If government 
would embrace the fubjeét, I conceive, that 
the contributions might be paid with much 
facility to the pofi-mafters all over the 
kingdom, and thofe who contribute might 
write to the fecretary, or other officer of 
the inftitution, to inform him of their re- 
{peétive contributions, which would be the 
means of preventing and deteCting fraud. 
Thus far the {cheme might be promoted 
without expence. I apprehend, that no 
tables can be conftruéted with any degree - 
of certainty, to regulate the diftribution of 
the fund, for not only old age, but illnefs 
mutt be provided for. As to the claffes. 
in middle or upper life, they give me lefs 
folicitude from their ability in general, in 
fome fhape or other, if they have any fav~ 
ings to fecure and make the moft of them. 
My attention was lately attracted by an ad- 
vertifement 
