264 Literary and Philofophical Intelligence. 
' A complete colleion of all the works 
of the celeorated HERDER will fhortly be 
publithedat Tubingen. 
Above fix thoufand five hundred rix- 
dollars have been fubfcribed towards the 
erecting a monument to LUTHER at the 
place of his nativity. 
The Academical Society of Sciences at 
Paris, in their meeting of the 25th of No- 
vember laft, offered a prize of three hun- 
dred francs for the belt anfwer to the fol- 
Jowirg queflion: — ‘* What influence 
would it have on the political and com- 
mercial interefts of the European ftates, if 
the power of the Englith at fea were re- 
duced to the ftandard of that of the other 
maritime nations ?” 
At a meeting of the Erfurt Society for 
the Promotion of Uteful Science, on the 
2d of January, M. BUCHHOLZ, a learned 
apothecary, gave an account of a procefs 
which he had difcovered, whereby quick- 
filver might be with greater facility 
brought to a fiate of congelation. The 
Society promife to publifh in their Me- 
moirs the refult of Dr. SpiLz’s examina- 
tion of fome apples, trom trees raifed trom 
feed, which had been fent to the Society 
by M. Hommerer. 
We have been favoured by Mr. Bis- 
SETT, of the Muteam, Birmingham, with 
the following extract of an interefting 
letter Jately received in that town, from 
Paris, by Mr. BLounr, furgecn: 
“* My permiffion to remain in Paris is cer- 
tainly a very great advantage ; a more agree- 
able’ prifon it is impoffible to have ; not that 
I go much into the gay world, but the fociety 
of a few particular friends renders it to me far 
fuperior to Fontainbleau or Verdun. But 
amongft the pleafures of this prifon I muft not’ 
forget that of having been prefent at the 
Coronation, when I faw, as you may well 
imagine, every thing worthy of notice The 
Pope, the Emperor, the Emprefs, /es grands 
feigneurs, &c. at the proceffion ; the portee 
croix, upon an ais, preceding his Holinefs’s 
carrjage.——-Apropos of his Holinefs; I receiv- 
ed his benediction a few weeks ago, and am 
inclined to think my morals are fomewhat 
mended fince. The proceflion, on the whole, 
was nothing very grand, except his Majefty’s 
coach, which for elegance and beauty far fur- 
pafied every thing of the kind I ever faw — 
To talk to you of the beautiful iliumination 
of the Boulevards for upwards of thrée miles 
jn extent, of the magnificent fire-works let 
off in the evening, of the balloons, of the 
diftribution of medals among the populace, 
ofthe fete given by the Senate, the town, 
the Marfhals, &c &c. I fhould perhaps only 
pApril 15 
repeat what you muft have already read in the 
papers ; befides, I am not at liberty, and they 
will afford fubjeéts of converfation when I thal 
returnhome. The ceremony of taking the | 
oath of fidelity to the Emperor, by the foldiers, 
inthe Champ de Mars, was extremely grand. 
Unfortunately the day was very unfavoure 
able, and took much from the efteé of the 
diftribution of the imperial eagles to the 
troops. In fhort, thefe fétes and rejoicings 
continued upwards of a month, and your for- 
tunate brother had the pleafure of being pre- 
fent at every thing worth notice. But what 
amufed him the moft was, the public lotte- 
ries for geefe, turkies, fowl, pyes, mieat, 
éc, &c. all ready cooked ; fo that the public 
had only to draw a ticket to get a dinner; 
and on each fide of the lottery-ftage were 
cafks of wine, to enable them to fwallow 
with more eafe the prizes which dame For- 
tune had fet before them. WNer can J pafs 
over in filence the illumination of the Thuil- 
leries, efpecially the gardens, which ex- 
_ceeded all defcription, and recalled to my 
mind the beautiful enchantment of fairy 
tales. Should you with for a more particular 
defcription of what took place on this memo- 
rable occafion, I will fend it with pieafure, in 
the form of a letter, or, what perhaps may 
pleafe as well, I can procure you a printed 
defcription, which I will fend firft opportu- 
nity. There has been much talk here about 
the arrival of a Mr, Paget for the exchange 
of prifoners ; but I apprehend our Govern- 
ment will not acknowledge us as prifoners of 
war. 
The young gentleman, after mention- 
ing how he protecutes his {tudies at Paris, 
thus proceeds : 
*¢ I frequently receive letters from my 
friends at Verdun, and it feems they have had 
a very merry Chriftmas ; dinners, balls, fup- 
pers, &c. &c. Some of my countrymen have 
kicked up a row or fo, for which, as you may 
fuppofe, they have-received punifhment.— 
But I mutt nor forget to remark, that the 
General (Wirion) under whofe care they 
are, treats them in the mott gentlemanly 
manner. His power over them is very great, 
but he ufes it with moderation ; and though 
forced to be fevere for the moment, he foon 
becomes indulgent 3 for inftance, he had fent 
two or three to Bitche—one for abufing one 
centinel and ftriking another—a fecond for 
fighting a duel with a Frenchman and wound- 
ing himin the leg; but at the end of a 
month or fix. weeks he gave them permiffion 
to return to Verdun at the interceffion of 
their friends. Unfortunately thofe fent to 
Bitche by order of the Government, are 
ret under the care of General Wirion.— 
‘ibe moft m-morable circumftance that 
has occurred at Verdun fince my departure, 
iSy 
