ee eee ee eed ae 
412 
correét editions of the principal Perfian 
Writers. 
fchool has, of late years, much declined, 
partly, it is alleged, from mifunderftand- 
“Ings among the, malters; partly from ‘an 
inclination which feems to prevail among 
parents to fend off their children to diftant 
boarding-fchools, by which other under - 
takings of the fame nature have been af- 
fected, as well as the public grammar- 
fchool. ‘There are feveral refpeCtable pri- 
vate feminaries in Newcaftle, and fome 
very flourifhing young ladies’ boarding- 
{chools. 
The Philofophical and Medical Society 
has been eftablifhed. a good many years. 
Among its papers are preferved a great 
number of Memoirs and Hiftories of Cafes, 
out of whicha valuable felec&tion might 
eafily be made, which, with the excellent 
Introdu&ory Difcourfe delivered on its in- 
ftitution, by its firft prefident, the late Dr, 
Rotheram, would probably be acceptable, 
as it would certainly be a ufcful prefent to 
the public. On this has been grafted a 
Medical Club; in which the members fea- 
{on a temperate meal, provided in rotation 
at each other’s houfes, with the freedom af 
familiar converfation on the cafes which 
have refpectively occurred to them, or on 
the books which they, from time to time, 
order at their mutual expence. It were to 
be wifhed that a fimilar friendly iatercourfe 
could be extended among the members of 
the other profeffions. | | 
The plan of the Medical Society being 
neceffarily confined to the gentlemen of 
the faculty, a propofal was made, about 
eight years aso, for the eftablifhment of a 
a more general literary affociation. It is 
‘obvious that Newcaftle is a jituaticn pecu- 
liarly well adapted fer fuch an inftitution, 
not only as it pofiefies éxtraordinary ad- 
vantages for the cultivation of mineral 
knowledge, in the inveftigation of its two 
great natural products of coal and lead, 
and their various accompanying ftrata and 
matrices, and as it offers fo wide a field 
for the application of mechanical inven- 
tions to the working of the mines, and the 
conveyance ef their produéts; not only 
as, it affords fo many advantages for 
the cultivation of thofe manufactures and 
arts, which depend upon the cheapnefs and 
plenty of fuel, and the facility of receiving 
and tranfmitting their feveral materials 
and preducts, by an extenfive commercial 
_ intercourfe ; but alfo, as this very inter- 
courfe furnifhes the inquirer into the wen- 
ders of nature and art with the opportunity 
of carrying on a literary correfpondence 
: a 
Account of Newcafile upon Tyne. 
It is to be laménted, that the - 
[Junes, | 
with the curious in other countries, and 
of colle&ting from every quarter whatever 
may be interefting or important. And 
though, in feveral important refpeéts, the 
Literary and Philofophical Society of New- - 
cafle has not had all the fuccefs which 
might have been expe¢ted, particularly 
though the multiplied engagements of 
feveral of the moft eminent coal-viewers 
have prevented them from affording it 
that affiftance in alcertaining various cir- 
cumftances of importance to a full invefti- 
gation of the natural hiftory of this curious . 
mineralg yet many valuable communica- 
tions have been received* on thefe fubjeéts, 
and many other excellent papers have been 
read +, which have greatly contributed to 
the entertainment and information of its 
members. A large and valuable library 
is already collected, and the funds for in- 
creafing it are fo confiderable, that it may 
be expected, in a few years, to compre- 
hend every work of importance on the.va- 
rious fubjeéts which come within the plan 
of the fociety. The purchafe of a philo- 
fophical and chemical apparatus, and the 
collection of a cabinet of natural hiftory, 
is alfo in contemplation. The completion 
of thefe objefts cannot fail to have the 
moft beneficial effeéts upon the minds of 
the rifing generation. . . 
There is, befides, a very valuable li- 
brary in an elegant appendage to the 
church of St. Nicholas, built for the purs 
pofe by Sir Walter Blackett. This li- 
brary was bequeathed to the town by the 
late Dr. Thomlinfon, of Whickham. But 
the reftri€tions by which the refort to itis 
fhackled, and the want of checks upon the 
condué of the librarian (to which, it is ac- 
knowledged, there muft be added the abufe 
which has been made of occafional indul- 
gencies) have rendered it of yery little ufe 
to the inhabitants, and it is far from being 
generally known or attended to. If an 
A& of Parliament for public regulations 
fhould at any time be wanted, it might be 
worth while to confider how far it would 
be practicable to introduce any provifions 
which might extend the benefits of Dr. 
Thomlinfon’s bequeft. 
( To be continued.) 
* Particularly from Mr. Thomas, of Den- 
ton-hall, and Mr. Fenwick, of Dipton, the 
ingenious author of Four Pra@tical Efiays on 
important mechanical fubjects. 
+ Two Efiays, by Dr. Fenwick, on Calca- 
reous Manures, and on the Influence of 
Elaftic Gafes on Vegetation, have been pub~ 
lifhed by the Society. A 
aie A To 
4 
