292 
provements prefent themfelves, it isa pity 
that public ipirit fhould fleep or relax in 
its exertions. The remains of the old 
city-wal], now a dreadful and a dangerous 
ruin, ought to be removed, to give the 
means of aregular extenfion of the city.— 
New bridges ought to be built, as well 
for the eaie and convenience of travellers, 
as for the ornament of the city and country 
around. The public buildings ought to 
accord more with the refined character of 
the prefent age. Of all the liberal arts, 
architecture demards the moft care to 
bring it to perfection. An immenfe 
building, from the fiability of its mate- 
Yiais, furvives the age in which it was 
seared, end becomes, by the juftnels of its 
proportions, or the reverfe, a monument 
to pofterity of the taite or the barbarity 
of the builders. Unhappily we cannot 
compliment the tafte which has con- 
firucted St. Cuthbert’s church, in this 
city. The prefent hall of jultice is mean, 
and totally inadequate to the purpofes al- 
Jotted to it. The bridges over the beau- 
tiful rivers Eden and Cauda, leading to 
the city, are conftructed in the very wort 
fiyle of architecture. Let- us hope that 
the gocd tafte of the prefent age will re- 
quiie thefe bridges and the hall of juftice 
to be removed, and replaced by others 
reared in a ftyle more fuitable to the tafe 
of the age and the improved ftate of the 
arts. To thefe might be added what the 
extenfion of the city requires—an addi- 
tional church or chapel of eafe to Str. 
Mary’s parifh, a public library, and a 
theatre, and a fet of f{chools for the 
higher branches of the mathematies and 
natural philofophy. ; 
Carlifle. { 
P.S —Errata in Mr. Pitt’s Journal of the 
Weather in the Monthly Magazine for Febru- 
ary laft, page 6. . 
' In the table of the thermometer for De- 
cember, col. 2, for 47° read 7°. 
In the defcription of the aurora borealis on 
the 22d of November, p-ge 8, line 21, for 
** columns of denfe light appeared before 
this arch,” read ‘* below this arch ;”? and a 
few lines farther, viz. line 26, for ‘© par- 
ticular fafhings,” read ‘ perpendicular flath- 
feect B? % 
Pipe — Se 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
A DESCRIPTION of the ISLAND Of MADA- 
' GASCAR., By CITIZEN LESCALLIER, 
MEMBER of the NATIONAL INSTI- 
TUTE, Ge. Ge . 
So haee ifland prefents to the eye of the 
traveller beautiful and  extenfive 
fields, abundant fubfitence, immenfe fo- 
Defcription of the Ifland of Madagafcar. 
fApril 1, 
refts of trees fit for fhip-building, a great 
variety of very valuable natural produc- 
tions, a numerous, brave, and induftrious 
population, among ft whom might be rea- 
dily formed not only. artifans and culti- 
vators, but likewile foldiers and {ailors. 
Unfortunately, however, Europeans 
have feldom hitherto vifited thefe diftant 
countries but to opprefs their inhabitants, 
to require of them forced fervices, to ex- 
cite amongft them quarrels, with the 
view of purchafing as flaves the prifoners 
mutually taken in their wars; in one 
word, to leave behind them traces of their 
cupidity in every country they have en- 
tered. 
The French Government-has made, or 
attempted to make, without much judg- 
ment, and at diftant intervals, fome fettle- 
ments amongft thefe people; but the 
promoters of thofe enterprizes have always 
been too much occupied with the interelt 
of the Europeans, and ftill more efpeciaily 
with their own aggrandifement, to pay a 
proper attention to the profperity and 
welfare of the inhabitants. Even fome 
of thofe delegated by the Miniftry, have 
commitied the greatelt enormities in this 
ifland, 
When thus outraging every diétate of 
,* 
humanity, is it aftonifhing that they have » 
fometimes experienced the moft marked 
refentment on the part of thefe iflanders, 
who, neverthelefs, naturally poflefs the 
moft gentle and friendly difpofitions ? 
Having been delegated, on the part of 
the French Government, to vifit our Ori- 
ental fettlements, and to concur in regu- 
Jating their concerns, as well as thofe of 
our different factories in India, I conceiv- 
ed it to be of importance fo proceed to 
Madagafcar, in order to eftablifh a proper 
adminiftration fer the colonifts of that 
ifland. With this view, I repaired thi- 
ther, in the month of Auguft, 1792, on 
board the Fidele frigate. The road 
where we caft anchor -is called Foul- 
Point. 
~ As my unexpeéted arrival, in a fhip of 
war, appeared to Create confiderable 
alarm in the minds of the king and 
chiefs of the country, I loft no time, in 
order to quiet their apprehenfions, to in- 
form them of the real object of my mif=' 
fon. Onthe fame evening, the king’s 
principal minifter, Ramma-Efa, paid me 
a vifit; during which I perfectly fuc- 
ceeded in difpelling the fears that had 
been entertained re{pecting the heftile m- 
tentions of the French Government. It 
was agreed, at this interview, that I 
- fhould 
