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\ 
MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 


No. LI. | 


[ No. 4. of VoL, V11l. 

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
Yo the Editor of the Monthly Marazine. 
Spay) 
URING the courfe of laft year, a 
fhort account was given in your 
valuable Magazine, of the Academical 
Inftitution founded here in 1796, purfuant 
to the will of the late Profeffor Anderfon. 
Since that time I have received feveral let- 
ters, requefting particular information 
with regard to the nature of the leStures 
delivered in that inftitution, For the fake 
of thofe gentlemen, and others who may 
with for fuch information, I will thank 
you to infert the following account of my 
Lectures. Iam, Sir, 
Your very obedient fervant, 
THomas GaRNETT. 
Glafgow, Sept. 4, 1799. 

THE firft is a complete fcientific courfe 
on phyfics and chemiftry, with their ap- 
plication to the arts and manufaétures, 
One decture of this courfe is delivered 
every morning, and the following are the 
branches comprehended in it. 
The properties of matter are firft ex 
plained, with a view of the theory of 
Botcovich ; after which come the laws. of 
motion, and the principles of mechanics. 
The principles are firft demonftrated ma- 
thematically, and afterwards illuftrated 
by experiments; and then the application 
of each part to the arts and manutactures 
pointed out, and, where it can be done, 
illuftrated by models of machinery, After 
this comes the doétrine of heat, which 
occupies a confiderable number of lectures. 
After illuftrating the general effeéts of 
heat, and Dr. Black’s Theory of Fluidity 
and Evaporation, I proceed to point out 
the difcoveries made i. Count Rumford. 
Having explained the caufe of fluidity, 
we proceed to the principles of hydrofta- 
tics and hydraulics, rivers, lakes, inland 
navigation, &c. The mechanical proper- 
ties of the air-are'next examined, which 
conflitutes pneumatics; after which come 
acouftics, the theory of the winds, and 
“mufic: the method of curing chimnies, 
according to Count Rumford’s plan; me- 
teorology, and aé¢roftation. 
Being thus acquainted with the mecha- 
nicl properties of the air, we next take a 
. Montuty Mac, No, 11, 
view of its chemical properties ; and, in 
about forty legtures, the principles of 
chemiftry are pointed out, and iluftrated 
by experiments: then follows the appli- 
cation of chemiftry to the different arts 
and manuiaétures, particularly etching, 
and the different modes of aquatinting, 
dying, bleaching, and calico-printing ; in 
which the difterent procefles are performed 
before the ftudents: this part of the courte 
concludes with the application of chemi- 
firy to agriculture, and to the analyfis of 
mineral waters. 
After this follows a comprehenfive view 
of mineralogy, in which all the fpecimens 
are exhibited, and their nature and for- 
mation explained, with geological obfer- 
vations. » 
We next proceed to the principles of 
electricity and magnetifm ; and after hav- 
ing confidered thefe two branches, and 
particularly the former, at confiderable 
length, we proceed to optics. In this 
part the principles of the fcience are point- 
ed out; afterwards the ftruéture of the 
eye, and the phenomena of vifion, are con- 
fidered, and an account of optical inftru- 
ments given: the fubjeét is finifhed by a 
view of the theory and praétice of per- 
{pective. — 
The laft part of the courfe confilts of 
phyfical aftronomy, which is comprifed in 
ten or twelve lefturés only, becaufe a more 
particular confideration of it would ex- 
clude fome more ufeful parts of the courle; 
and the completion of this part is left to 
the lecturer on aftronomy and geography. 
4 
I truft I may be allowed to fay, that’ 
there is no courfe in Britain which com- 
prehends fo much, and is, at the fame . 
time, fo full on. each fubjeét; and this 
arifes from a particular attention to eco- 
nomy with refpe& to time. ‘The leéture 
begins precifely-at the hour, ail recapitu- 
lation is avoided, and, what is ufually in- 
troduced to {pin out lefs comprehentive 
courfes, carefully excluded. ; 
Befides this courfe, I give a popular 
one on experimental philofophy. ‘This: 
- courfe only occupies one leéture a week, 
which is in the evening. Hereall mathe-- 
matical and abftraét reafoning is as itch 
as poflible avoided, the moft pleafing and 
5k | interefing 


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0 eT te 
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Gras ae 
