346 
accelerated, and at the same time im- 
proved. 
~The light of the Pyrosoma Atlanticum 
has not been described by naturalists. 
™M. Peron, in his late voyage, observed 
this animal in between the 3d and 4th 
degrees of N. latitude. Its luminous 
property renders it one of the most splen- 
did of all known zoophites. The dark- 
ness was intense when it was first disco- 
vered, the wind blew with violence, and 
the progress of the vessel was rapid. All 
at once there appeared, at some distance, 
a vast sheet of phosphorus floating upon 
the waves before the vessel. The ship 
having passed through this brilliant part, 
the crew discovered that the light was 
oceasioned by an immense number of 
small animals, which swam at different 
depths, and assumed various forms. Those 
which were deepest looked like red-hot 
shot, and those on the surface resembled 
tubes of red-hot iron. Some were soon 
caught, and they were found to vary in 
size from three to seven Inches. All the 
exterior surface was bristled with thick 
oblong tubercles, shining lke so many 
diamonds, and these seemed to be the 
principal seat of phosphorescence. In 
the inside there appeared a multitude of 
oblong narrow glands, which possessed 
the phosphoric property in a high de- 
gree. The colour, when at rest, is an 
opal yellow mixed with green; but on the 
slightest motion, or spontaneous contrac- 
tion, the animal instantly becomes Jumi- 
nous. As it loses its phosphorescence, 
it passes successively through a number 
of tints, such as red, orange, green, and 
azure blue. 
M. Marcet, director of the imperial 
printing press at Paris, when he accom- 
panied Bonaparte to Egypt, took a fac 
simile of the curious inscription of Ro- 
setta, which has lately been engraved 
and published. 
M. Mittin, arecent traveller through 
the south of France, adopted the same 
mode of taking a copy of an arabic in- 
scription under the entrance of the house 
of M. Meiulaw, at Aix. After washing 
the stone, and covering it with printer’s 
ink, he applied over it wetted paper, 
which on being withdrayn, bore a very 
distinct impression of the characters, 
which appear white on a black ground, 
when they have been, hollowed out, and 
black on a white ground, when the in- 
scription is in relief. But as the letters 
are reversed, it is obvious they must be 
sead backwards; on holding up the leaf, 
Literary and Philosophical Intelligence. 
[May 1, 
however, to the light, they are readily 
decyphered in their proper position, In | 
order so give to the letters the greatest 
degree of transparency, the paper which 
is employed ought to be as little sized as 
possible. ‘The stone can be afterwards 
freed from any remains. of the ink, by 
washing it with a solution of pot-ash. 
This process has been long known in 
Italy, but it would appear that its appli- 
cation has been hitherto confined. to 
taking impressions of inscriptions ¢x- 
ecuted on bronze tables, It is evident 
that this method possesses many advan* 
tages, since it can not only be performed 
with the greatest ease by a single indiyi- 
dual, but since persons the least versed in 
the science of inscriptions, may by, it 
obtain copies with the greatest accuracy. 
The-Irish College in Paris is the only 
school in that metropolis that has a 
course of Latin philosophy and. logic, 
such as existed, in the University of 
Paris. The prefect of studies in this 
college, M. Fontanel commenced a 
course of philosophy in November with 
a speech in the Latin language. 
ITAL YG 
Experiments lately made at Venice 
shew, that the oil of the Chinese raddish 
(rasphanus sinensis) is preferable to any 
other kind known, not only for culinary 
purposes, and giving light, but also in 
medicine. From the experiments lately 
made by Dr. Francis de Oliviero, it is 
extremely useful in rheumatic and pul- 
monary affections, and has been em- 
ployed with much success to convulsive 
coughs. It is not liable to spoil by keep- 
ing, like other oils. ‘The plant is not 
injured by the strongest frosts. In May 
and June the seed is gathered, which is . 
very abundant, — vies 
AMERICA, 
The southern wing of the capitol at 
Washington is so far completed as to 
admit the house of representatives to .. 
hold their-present session in it.’ It isa. 
superb and magnificent structure, and is 
decorated with great taste and richness, 
It contains accommodations for a large 
audience, and is fitted up with seats for 
160 members. ) 
Proposals. have been circulated in. 
Charleston, Carolina, for publishing the . 
Life and Secret History of Macbeth, 
King of Scotland, from authentic mana- 
scripts in the possession of the noble . 
family of the Ilowards, and from original’ 
papers and deeds now in the hands of. 
the 
