1804. ] 
the other half is divided into a number of 
gardens, environed with walls. Behind 
the gardens, houfes have been built on 
the inferior vaults of the amphitheatre, 
which ferve for foundations and cellars. 
Thele houfes form one of the fides of the 
ellipfis. On the other fide, a confiderable 
part of the higher tories ftill exifis, and 
fome of the lower vaults ferve 2s a lodging 
for fome poor families, who are ignorant 
that their cellars were formerly the abode 
of the ferocious animals of Africa, which 
the Romans colie&ted for their public 
games; and that their chambers ferved 
formerly as paflages or avenues to a curi- 
ovs multitude. “he people afcribe all 
thefe ruins to the fairy Melufina, and to 
the very maffes of ftones, they give the 
name of La Merlujine. It is wonderful 
(fays the author) that the hiftory of this 
pretended flock of the houfe of Lufignan, 
which is but romance, modern enough, 
fhould have become !o popular in this 
country. Perhaps the author of it (ean 
d@ Arras) had founded his ftory on a more 
ancient tradition. The above ampbi- 
theatre had but one gate; anarch or vault 
of about 30 feet in height by 20 in 
breadth, and nearly 50 paces in length ; 
it ftill fubfifts, and prefents an impofing 
coup dail; it led to the podium, and 
doubtlefs ferved as a terminus cr extremity 
to the different communications. Ali the 
wails of this enormous edifice were cover- 
ed with {mall fquare ftones, difpofed with 
great regularity ; at prefent, this cover- 
ing is almoft every where fallen down, 
and we may perceive the bare flat {tones, 
joined by an indeftru&ible cement, which 
compofe the great mafs of thefe ruins. 
The ancient walls of the city are built 
much the fame. They areas folid as a 
rock, and, like the above ruins, they are 
22 feet in width, and have a gallery from 
8 to ro feet wide in the middle. They 
likewife ferve for cellars to the inha- 
bitants, and have equally the name of 
Merlufine, by which they defignate in this 
country, what in other parts is called 
works of the giants, or of the devil. The 
above intereiting monuments, and many 
others of an antiquity no lJefs remote, 
were fhewn to us (jays the author) by 
Dom Mazét, a very learned Benedic- 
tine, now librarian of the Central School. 
This perfon, of a rare merit, has pafied 
his life in refearches relative to the anti- 
quities of his country, He has taken a 
number of defigns of them with the greateft 
care, and his port-folios would fupply 
materials wherewith to compile a f{plendid 
work. He has likewife made a very fine 
Literary and Philefopbical Intelligence, 
G1 
colleétion of medals. The writer of the 
above letter adds, that he has prevailed 
upon Citizen Mazel to make a mono. 
graphy of his amphithcatre, and to tran{- 
mit the fame to Paris, to Citizen Mellin, 
for the purpofe of publication. 
Profeflor PascHMANN, at St. Peterf- 
burgh, has invented an Anemometer, 
which he has prefented to his Imperial Ma- 
jetty. With this anemometer, not only 
the ftrength of the wind may be exactly mea- 
fured, but by means of other initruments 
which are eafily adjufted to it, fuch asa 
hygrometer, thermometer, and barometer, 
a variety of other phyfieal experiments may 
be conduéted with the greateft conveni- 
ency. ‘This inftrument ftands ona hollow 
pillar of a pyramidal form, on one fide of 
which are placed, over eech other, two 
dial-plates witn indexes or hands, the one 
of which belongs to the hygrometer, and 
the other tothe anemometer. It is fixed 
on an oblong quadrangular board, fup- 
ported on four feet, which again reft on a 
pedeftal. 
lar a rod is pafled, to the upper end of 
which a weather-cock is attached, and to 
the lower end an index, ftandiog on a wind- 
dial, which is furnifhed below with a 
magretic-needle, and points out the di- 
rection of the wind, with the greateft ex- 
actnefs. On one fide of the pedeftal, in 
the middle of the outer extremity, a pillar 
ftands with two rollers, between which a 
roller is paffed, on which the wind-board 
is fixed. ‘This roller is at the farther end, 
provided with teeth or notches, by means 
of which a notched wheel, which is at- 
tached to the axle of the index of the ane. 
mometer is moved. Between the wind- 
board and the pyramidal pillar a fpring 
pafles, which aéts conftantly on the roller, 
in fuch a manner, that the board, being 
moved by the current of the wind, ftrikes 
againit the fpring, which in its turn 
moves the roll:r; when by means of the 
notches in the end of the roller which aét 
upon the wheel, the index communicating 
wit! it is made to point out the force of 
the wind. Between the pillars there are 
alfo four brafs bars attached, which pafs 
through notches in the extremity of the 
board, and are provided with two {mall 
rollers which ferve to give uniformity to 
the impulfes. On the oppofire fide of the 
wind-board, a board is attached to the 
pedeftal, and on it the barometer and 
thermometer are placed. The advantage 
of this newly invented iaftrument confilts 
chiefly in this, that the impulfe by means 
of the board above mentioned, is rendered 
at all times uniform and incapable of any 
variation ; 
Through the middle of the pil. © 
