his living, (there are few who do not,) is almost compelled to misapply his powers. "Strongest minds Are often those of whom the noisy world And perhaps the remark is correct. G. M. CHEMICAL ESSAYS, BY STUDIOSUS. Essay 3d.-Carbonic Acid Gas. swelling it to an extremely great length, I have preferred giving it in a separate form, reserving the composition of the Atmosphere and the Chemical and Physical properties of Air for the subject of a fourth essay. In conclusion, it may be remarked, that it is a proof of a little mind, to be over anxious after gaining a popular name, in any other way than by the mere worth of a man's own talent. To become the butterfly of the multitude, however, is but a fickle state of existence, and therefore not an enviable | one. It is the mere turn of a feather whether it lives or dies. A man of genius may be known to be so from his conduct, and chiefly, in the first place, because he pursues a steady persevering method, conscious of the truth and merit of what he says; and (Continued from col. 230.) secondly, because he is wholly un- WHEN I submitted my Essay on Oxyswayed by either the good or bad opi- gen to the readers of the Imperial nion which the public may have of Magazine, I informed them that my him. He sees fame at a distance, third essay should treat of Atmospheand feels assured that though in this ric Air; but finding that a knowledge life he may be comparatively unknown, of Carbonic Acid Gas is absolutely she will one day rise upon his ashes. necessary, and that it would be imHe esteems what the wise and good possible to take a sufficiently extendsay, and it is only to such that he ap-ed survey of it in that essay, without peals. He will not descend to notice the rudeness of the vulgar, nor the cavils of the vain. It is sufficient for him if he obtains the good word of those whom he respects. He will not, however, boast of the praises of such men, nor submit to shine as the hero of a newspaper puff. He will never barter his good opinion of himself. He is satisfied, and takes pleasure in his own works; and it is in reality immaterial to him whether others do or not. He writes because he loves the imperishable forms of beauty and of truth, and because he knows that such have been and must be valued. In fine, he looks only at the testimony of those whom he considers as his superiors, and will continue to write on, let the rest say what they may. When we see persons then particularly anxious about gaining applause, we may take it for granted, that they are not what they would seem to be. Although fame is the "passion of great souls," it is only such fame as must be lasting, and which comes from pure and unsullied springs. No truly great man ever cared a straw either for the praise or dispraise of those of whom he could not help thinking meanly-he only viewed their opinions as the necessary consequence of the inequality of natural ability. It has been said that No. 39.-Vol. IV. Carbon has never been found to exist in a state of absolute purity, except in the diamond; a precious stone known from the remotest ages. Great quantities of diamonds are found in the East Indies; principally in the kingdoms of Golconda, Visiapour, and Bengal; and in the island of Borneo. Carbon may be obtained in a state of sufficient purity for the exhibition of its properties, by charring small pieces of wood in a crucible well covered with sand. It is of little consequence what kind of wood is used, if it be previously deprived of its bark, and then exposed to a red heat for a sufficient length of time in a closed vessel. If we introduce a piece of red-hot charcoal into a vessel filled with Oxygen Gas, we shall find the charcoal to burn with much greater brilliancy than it does in Atmospheric Air, and to throw out the most lively scintillations. If we examine the contents of the vessel after the charcoal has ceased to burn, we shall find it filled with a peculiar gas, considerably heavier than the Oxygen Gas, which it contained at the commencement of the Ꮓ sary to vegetables; and their growth is increased or diminished, according to the mode of its application. This gas, as was first demonstrated by Saussure, jun. proves beneficial to vegetation, so long as it does not ex experiment. We shall also find that this gas is absorbable by water; that it is incapable of supporting combustion and animal life; and that it precipitates lime water. This is the Carbonic Acid Gas, of the properties of which I profess to treat in the pre-ceed one-eighth of the constitution of sent essay. The Carbonic Acid Gas, thus obtained, is not in a state of sufficient purity for the exhibition of some of its properties; the following process will therefore be preferable. Put into a common glass or earthenware retort, a quantity of carbonate of lime, lime stone, or marble, reduced to a rough powder; and pour upon it a quantity of the strongest sulphuric acid of the shops, previously diluted with about six times its weight of water. Upon the addition of the sulphurous acid, an immediate effervescence will ensue, and Carbonic Acid Gas be evolved in abundance. When this gas is intended to be used immediately, it may be collected over water, in common with the other gases; but as this gas is absorbable by water, it will be necessary to collect it over mercury, if we wish it to remain for a considerable length of time previous to the investigation of its properties. the atmosphere. The compound is absorbed and decomposed by the vegetating organs, its carbon forming a constituent part of the vegetable, while the greater part of the Oxygen thus liberated, is emitted in the state of gas by the organs of respiration situated upon the upper surface of the leaves: the remainder of the Oxygen is retained by the vegetable as indispensably necessary to the formation of acids and sugar. It is incapable of supporting combustion. It is greedily absorbed by all the alkalies. Carbonic Acid Gas exists in abundance ready formed in nature. It exists in a state of combination in a great variety of bodies. It is combined in the greatest quantity in lime stone, chalk, and marble; it is also found in this state in the alkalies, earths, some of the metallic oxydes, and in stones. It may be separated from its combination with these substances by the effusion of acids, or by distillation with a strong heat. In the state of gas it is generated in ex Del Cane, near Naples; so called because great numbers of dogs have died in it, which have been driven into it for the entertainment of passengers. The ancients had some knowledge of this gas, which is the first elastic fluid with which they were in any de-tremely great quantities in the Grotto gree acquainted after common air. Van Helmont called it Gas Sylvestre. It is to the celebrated Dr. Black, that chemists were indebted for some of the first discoveries relative to this fluid. In 1755, he discovered the affinity between Carbonic Acid and Alkalies. He called it fixed air. In 1772, Bergman proved that it was an acid, and gave it the name of Aërial | Acid. Mr. Bewdley called it Mephitic Acid; soon after which Mr. Kerr called it Calcareous Acid. It first obtained its present name from the immortal Lavoisier, who first proved that it was a compound, consisting of Oxygen and Carbon. It is also evolved in great abundance from the Lake of Averno, which Virgil supposed to be the entrance to the infernal regions. It is also found in this state at the well of Negræ, in Vivarais; at the well of Perols, near Montpellier; and in cellars, tombs, necessaries, wells, mines, coal pits, and other subterraneous places. Great quantities of this gas are daily formed by the processes of combustion, respiration, fermentation of beer and wine, putrefaction of animal bodies, &c. Carbonic Acid Gas is invisible, colourless, elastic, and destitute of From what has been already adsmell. Its specific gravity, as esta-vanced, it must appear evident, that blished by experience, is to atmosphe- had not some effectual means been ric air as 1500 to 1000. It is fatal to provided for its decomposition, it animal life. Frogs live in it for a con- must have accumulated very rapidly, siderable length of time, by the power and have proved destructive to every which they so eminently possess in thing within its reach; consequently, suspending their respiration. Carbo- all animated nature must have inevinic Acid Gas is indispensably neces- tably perished. What are the means .... employed by nature for its decom- | which it contains, that it is able to position, have been already mentioned. To shew the production of Carbonic Acid by the processes of combustion and respiration, the following simple experiments will suffice. Fill a common glass tumbler with lime water, and blow into it from the lungs, through a silver or ivory blow-pipe, or a goose quill. In a short time the lime water will be found to exhibit a milky appearance. This experiment will serve to illustrate another property of this gas, mentioned above; namely, that it precipitates lime water. Fill the pneumato - chemical trough with pure lime water, over which invert a large bell glass, or jar, filled with either Öxygen Gas, or Atmospheric Air; introduce a lighted candle under the bell glass, and let it remain in this state till so much of the Oxygen is consumed that the remaining air will no longer support the combustion; when the flame will be extinguished. The bell glass is now to be shaken pretty strongly for a short time; and the lime water will be found to exhibit the appearances mentioned in the last experiment. effect the fermentive process when MEMOIR OF THE LIFE OF THE REV. (Concluded from col. 264.) In the month of March, 1806, Dr. Buchanan was again looking forward to his long projected journey to the coast of Malabar, but another indisposition retarded his designs for a short season, so that it was not until the third of May that he left Calcutta on his way to the south. It was during this journey, that he visited Juggernaut, and witnessed those horrid rites and unparalleled abominations, the account of which, when his Christian Researches in India were first published in England, created sensations that have not yet subsided. In these regions of bloody superstition, nothing seems wanting to complete the catalogue of human woes. Tigers hunting for prey; famished pilgrims thronging the roads strewed with bones of devotees who had fallen victims to idolatry; jackals and vultures fattening on human flesh; the grim idol of Juggernaut, with lips besmeared with blood; and human skulls scattered over the sand; all bear their parts in this horrid picture. By means of strong pressure, some chemists have succeeded in making water absorb and condense more than three times its own bulk of this gaseous fluid; and water thus saturated with this aërial acid, possesses very valuable and powerful medicinal properties. The acidulous mineral waters naturally formed, differ from water thus fully saturated, partly in not containing so large a quantity of this acid, and partly in holding other substances in solution. The whole of the gas Very different, however, was the may be again liberated by boiling the scene, when he went to visit the anwater, by exhaustion under the re- cient Syrian Christians, who, secluded ceiver of an air-pump, by the act of from the world, retain, imbosomed in freezing, or by simply exposing the the woods of Malyala, that patriarchal acidulous water to the influence of simplicity which distinguished the the open air; owing to the affinity of days of primitive Christianity. He Carbonic Acid for air, it will escape was received at first with much susin the form of gas, leaving the water picion, lest, as an emissary of some in a state of purity. Water saturated ambitious church or potentate, he with Carbonic Acid reddens the tinc- should have penetrated those recesses ture of litmus, possesses an agreeable into which no European had ever besubacid taste, and sparkles upon agi-fore entered, to disturb their tranquiltation. Owing to its great specific gravity, it may be poured from one vessel to another. Yeast, it is well known, is the skum which collects on beer during fermentation, and it is owing to the Carbonic Acid Gas lity, destroy their venerable manuscripts, and annihilate their sacred institutions. His assurances to the contrary, and tokens of friendship, however, soon dissipated their fears, and gained their confidence; and it was only through the communications | time in India after this event, devotof Dr. Buchanan, that many among ing his time and talents to the great them were induced to believe that object which lay so near his heart, there were any Christians in the world communicating with his friends, repelbesides themselves. ling objections, dissipating groundless fears, and placing the expected influence of Christianity over the vast population of India, in an amiable light. From these interesting tours, Dr. B. returned to Calcutta, after an absence of about ten months, during which time he had travelled upwards of five thousand miles, drawn aside the veil from the obscene mysteries of Juggernaut, and brought to light two hundred thousand Christians, who, though surrounded by the darkness of Pagan idolatry, had retained their integrity, and had not bowed the knee to Baal. Arriving at Calcutta, he found that the college, in the welfare of which he had been so deeply interested, although it had been productive of the most important benefits, both to the East India Company, and to Oriental learning and religion, had been reduced within very narrow limits. The offices of Provost and Vice Provost had been abolished; and the Professorships had been restricted to three; namely, the Hindostanee, Bengalee, and Perso-Arabic. Through this alteration Dr. Buchanan's income was considerably diminished. But this rather contracted his sphere of usefulness than brought him into any pecuniary embarrassments. His grand object was the promotion of Christianity in India; to this he had made all his other pursuits subservient; for this he had undertaken his late journey; and with an eye to this, he had increasingly rejoiced, on visiting the Syrian Christians in their secluded retreats. Dr. Buchanan, not having anticipated the change, which, on his return to Calcutta he was called to witness, had, during his journey, drawn up a paper, under the title of "Literary Intelligence," containing a sketch of his proceedings on the coast of Malabar; but so great were the apprehensions of those in power, lest an attempt to christianize the natives should be attended with some serious consequences, that to his great surprise and mortification, it was not permitted to appear in the Government Gazette, It was, however, printed in another form, and in that shape it found its way to his friends, and those of Christianity, in England. Dr. B. remained some considerable Among other means to accomplish his design, Dr. B. shortly after his return from the coast of Malabar, delivered a series of discourses in the Presidency Church, on the subject of the prophecies, the leading features of which were, to point out in various forms, the divine predictions respecting the universal establishment of the gospel. This was done with that soundness of judgment, that strength of argument, soberness of investigation, and commanding cloquence, for which he was so remarkable. His hearers consisted of persons of different views. To some of these, his discourses gave much offence; but others were so highly delighted with what they heard, that he was importuned to circulate them from the press. Scarcely, however, had he formed the resolution of complying with their request, before he received an additional mortification, in finding that his advertisement, announcing the publication, could not be admitted into the Government Gazette, and this was aggravated by an order that had been privately issued, forbidding the printers of the other newspapers to publish the obnoxious notice. These interdictions were followed by a letter from the Chief Secretary, desiring him to transmit the manuscript of his sermons on the prophecies, for the inspection of Government. To this request Dr. B. for some time gave no reply, being well aware, from the complexion of those into whose hands it would fall, that the result would not coincide with his wishes. But shortly after Lord Minto had assumed the government, Dr. B. presented to him a memorial on the importance of establishing Christianity in India, accompanied with a letter which explained his motives, and his intentions. To this memorial, and this letter, Lord Minto made no reply; but on the contrary, instead of receiving the communication as conveying information on an important subject, with which he could be but imperfectly acquainted, he viewed it as disrespectful to his Government, and transmitted it to the Court of Directors, in England, accompanied with a commentary, in that very fleet in which Dr. Buchanan shortly afterwards sailed for his native land. Of these circumstances, however, Dr. B. was at this time utterly ignorant; and it was not until several years had elapsed, when the question relative to Christianity in India was agitated in the House of Commons, when these documents were laid on the table, that he became acquainted with the fact. Happily Dr. B. had also transmitted a copy to the Court of Directors prior to his leaving Calcutta, accompanied by a letter, in which he called to their recollection the solemn charge which about eleven years before, he had received from their chairman, Sir Stephen Lushington. The whole concluded with a serious hope that the moral condition of India would be taken into serious consideration, and that liberal means might be adopted for giving free circulation to the sacred scriptures, and the doctrines of the gospel. Dr. Buchanan, having made preparations for his return to England, fully intended at first to accomplish his journey overland, thinking this better calculated than a sea voyage, for prosecuting his inquiries into the state of Christianity in the East; his health also rendering a sea voyage somewhat doubtful as to its issue. But this design he was compelled to abandon, from the many military and political obstacles that seemed to blockade his way. Having taken leave of his congregations, he left Calcutta on the 27th of November, 1807, and reached Fulta on the ensuing day, where the ship waited several days for her despatches. Departing from Fulta on board the Baretto, Dr. B. after several interruptions, reached Goa early in January, 1808, at which place he was permitted to enter the great hall of the Inquisition. Of this visit an interesting account has been published in his Christian Researches, the substance of which he thus gives in a letter to his friend Colonel Macauley. "On my arrival at Goa, I was hospitably entertained by Captain Schuyler. He and Colonel Adams introduced me next day to the Viceroy, who affects great pomp, rails at the French, and is a true Frenchman at heart. old Goa. The Archbishop received me cordiNext day Major Pareira went up with me to ally. I professed a purpose of remaining some days there. This, it seems, was unusual, and it occasioned some discussion and difficulty. At last I was received by one of the Inquisitors; not your friend, (who lives at a distance Josephus à Doloribus, the chief agent of the from the place,) but by the second Inquisitor, Inquisition, and the most learned man of the place. By this malleus hereticorum was I received in his convent of the Augustinians, in a suite of chambers next his own. He was extremely communicative. All the libraries ble beyond my expectation. That of the Auwere opened; and were extensive and valuagustinians alone appeared to be larger than the library of the college of Fort Wil liam. tion; and I gleaned much information imperMy object all this time was the Inquisiceptibly. I disguised my purpose for the first three days, and the Inquisitor referred me to various books and documents elucidating the very subject I wanted to investigate; so that, on the fourth day, I attacked him directly on the present state of the Inquisition. I had already discovered that it was abolished in 1775, by the court of Portugal, on account of its inhuman rigour; that in 1779 it was restored on the accession of the present Queen; and that it has been in operation ever lified in some points. It was not to have a On its restoration, its rigour was quapublic Auto da Fé; but it was permitted to have a private one annually. The dungeons incarcerate for life; and there are now victims and torture remain the same. It has power to in its cells. The tribunal is supported in its ancient pomp; and its establishment is full. In fact, it is the only department which is alive in ancient Goa. since. "Josephus à Doloribus was alarmed when I told him, that he had now said so much, he he discovered the real drift of my inquiries. might as well tell me all; and that I should not leave Goa till I had seen the Inquisition. He at last consented to shew me the great hall. I accompanied him, clothed in the solemn robes of his office. When I had surveyhe would now let me go below and visit the ed the place awhile in silence, I desired that dungeons. He refused; and here our first contest began. I told him, that if he did not open the dungeons, and let me count the captives, and inquire into the periods of their imprisonment, and learn the number of deaths that he had a good reason for the concealment ; within the last year, I should naturally believe and that the ancient horrors of the Inquisition still subsisted. Whereas, if he would now unbar his locks, I could only declare to the publeft to imagination. He felt the force of this; lic the truth as it was; and nothing would be but answered, that he could not oblige me, consistently with his oath or duty as an Inquisitor. I observed, that he had broken that oath frequently, during the four last days; and that he had himself noticed in his own justification, that the ancient regulations of the Church were in many instances obsolete. I then put the following question solemnly; |