vacillating between the intelligence
derived from God, and the degradation
of passions participated with brutes;

and in the accident of their alternate
ascendancy, shuddering at the terrors
of an hereafter, or hugging the horrid
What is this
hope of annihilation.
wondrous world of his residence? "A
mighty maze, and all without a plan."
A dark and desolate and dreary ca-
vern, without wealth, or ornament, or
order! But light up within it the torch
of knowledge; and how wondrous the
transition!-the seasons change-the
atmosphere breathes-the landscape
lives-earth unrolls its fruits-ocean
rolls in its magnificence—the heavens
display their constellated canopy;
and the grand, the animated spectacle
of nature rises revealed before him;
its varieties regulated, and its mys-
teries resolved!-the phenomena which
bewilder, the prejudices which debase,
the superstitions which enslave-va-
nish before Education."

PHENOMENA OF JUPITER AND SATURN,
FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF JA-
ΤΟ
NUARY
THEIR CONJUNCTIONS
IN APRIL AND MAY,

THESE two stupendous planets, with their satellites and the rings of Saturn, at all times delightful objects of contemplation, will present several very interesting phænomena during the months of January, February, and March. On the noon of the 1st of January, their difference of geocentric longitude, will be 48 minutes of a degree, the most distant planet being in 19 degrees 57 minutes of Aries, and the other in 20 degrees 45 minutes of the same sign. As the geocentric or apparent motions of Jupiter and Saturn are both direct, and the swifter planet is further advanced in the

"I need not," said the orator, "descant upon the great general advantage, or to this country the peculiar patriotic purpose,which the success of such a plan must have produced. | No doubt you have all personally experienced, that of all the blessings it has pleased Providence to allow us to cul-zodiac, their difference of longitude tivate, there is not one which breathes a purer fragrance, or wears a more heavenly aspect, than Education.

will, in this case, increase by the quantity which the one motion exceeds the other. That the astronomical reader may know from time to time the degrees and minutes contained in the elliptical arches which have the secon

"It is a companion which no misfortune can depress, no clime destroy, no enemy alienate,-no despotism enslave;-at home, a friend-daries of the ecliptic passing through abroad, an introduction—in solitude, the centres of Jupiter and Saturn for a solace-in society, an ornament-it their two extremities, we will note chastens vice-it guides virtue-it down the following differences of gives at once a grace and an ornament geocentric longitude of these two to genius. Without it what is man? planets:a splendid slave! a reasoning savage!

On the apparent noon of the 15th of

January, Jupiter and Saturn will differ in longitude 1 degree 32 minutes; on the 1st of Feb. 2 degrees 38 minutes; on the 14th of February, 3 degrees 40 minutes; on the 1st of March, 4 degrees 59 minutes; on the 15th of March, 6 degrees 20 minutes; on the 1st of April, 8 degrees 4 minutes; on the 20th of April, about half an hour before noon, (the time of Saturn's conjunction,) 10 degrees 6 minutes; and at the conjunction of Jupiter, May 4, at half-past five, A. M., 11 degrees 38 minutes.

On the 10th of January, at a quarter before ten, P. M., Saturn will be in quadrature or quartile aspect with the Sun; at which time he will be furthest removed from that imaginary straight line which has the centres of the Sun and Saturn for its two extremities. At the moment of the quadrature the anomaly of Saturn will be 3 signs, 24 degrees, 41 minutes, his geocentric longitude 20 degrees 11 minutes of Aries, his geocentric latitude 2 degrees 30 minutes south, his heliocentric longitude 26 degrees 16 minutes of Aries, his heliocentric latitude 2 degrees 29 minutes, and his annual parallax (at this moment a maximum) 6 degrees 5 minutes, being a few minutes above the mean quadrantile parallax, because Saturn is about 25 degrees nearer to his perihelion than his aphelion.

On the morning of the 12th of January, at a quarter past six, Jupiter will be in quadrantile aspect with the Sun; at which time his true anomaly will be 6 signs, 21 degrees, 22 minutes, his geocentric longitude 22 degrees, 33 minutes of Aries, his geocentric latitude 1 degree 13 minutes south, his heliocentric longitude 2 degrees 58 minutes of Taurus, his heliocentric latitude 1 degree 12 minutes south, and his annual parallax (or, which is the same thing, the difference between his heliocentric and geocentric longitudes,) 11 degrees 25 minutes, which is only a few minutes of a degree less than the greatest possible parallax; Jupiter, at the moment of his quadrature, being only 21 degrees 22 minutes past his perihelion. We have been thus circumstantial in the phænomena of the quadratures of Jupiter and Saturn, as obtained from the best astronomical tables, because accurate observations of these phænomena are allowed to be of essential service in the

rectification of the tables of these planets. To the sublime conceptions and profound geometry of the justly celebrated M. de la Place, the astronomical world is already greatly indebted for the present improved state of the Tables of Jupiter, Saturn, and the Georgium Sidus; and the more the observations of the places, &c. of these planets are multiplied, the greater degree of perfection will the theory of this great man be capable of receiving.

The mean times of the emersions of Jupiter's first satellite, (visible in Great Britain) are the following:-The 5th of January, at 58 minutes 33 seconds past nine, night; the 14th, at 23 minutes 33 seconds past six, evening; the 21st, at 19 minutes 36 seconds past eight, evening; and the 28th, at 15 minutes 40 seconds past ten, night. The 6th of February, at 40 minutes 46 seconds past six, evening; and the 13th, at 36 minutes 47 seconds past eight, evening. The first of March, at 57 minutes 30 seconds past six, evening; and the 24th, at 13 minutes 38 seconds past seven, evening. The visible immersions and emersions of the second satellite of Jupiter happen in the following order :---An emersion on the 4th of January, at 50 minutes 10 seconds past nine, evening; an immersion the 11th, at 53 minutes 15 seconds past nine, night; and an emersion the 29th, at 56 minutes 3 seconds past six, evening. An immersion on the 5th of February, at 59 minutes 20 seconds past six, evening; and its immediately subsequent emersion 2 hours, 32 minutes, 35 seconds afterwards; and an immersion the 12th, at 35 minutes 12 seconds past nine, night. The last visible emersion of the second satellite before the superior conjunction will be on the 2d of March, at 37 minutes 10 seconds past six, evening. The mean times of the visible immersions and emersions of Jupiter's third satellite are the following:- An emersion the 11th of January, at 56 minutes 33 seconds past six, evening; an immersion the 18th, at 52 minutes 22 seconds past eight, evening; and its immediately subsequent emersion 2 hours, 7 minutes, 2 seconds afterwards. An emersion the 23d of February, at 10 minutes 13 seconds past seven, evening. There will be no eclipses of Jupiter's fourth satel

lite this year, the primary planet being towards the middle of the year at its utmost limit from the line of the nodes of this satellite.

the bite and the appearance of disease, was, in this, as in the majority of other cases of a similar kind, six weeks, and the fatal event took place, as usual, on To those provided with good tele- the evening of the fourth day from the scopes, the rings of Saturn will ap-accession of hydrophobia. pear very interesting. The most It was not until the evening of the distant half of the rings is more south than the centre of Saturn; and, consequently, the southern sides of the rings are now visible. As the planet removes further from the line of the nodes of the rings, the ellipses of the rings appear more open. To those supplied with excellent micrometers adjusted to their telescopes, we present the following proportions from time to time between the major and minor axes of Saturn's furthest ring, that our calculations may be compared with their micrometrical admeasurement. Supposing the major axis of the furthest ring to be divided into 1000 parts, the minor axis on the 1st of January, will contain 327 of such parts; on the 15th, 328; on the 1st of February, 334; on the 14th, 341; on the 1st of March, 352; on the 15th, 362; and on the 1st of April, 369. On the 1st of January, the meridian altitude of Jupiter. at London, will be 45 degrees 25 minutes; on the 7th, 45 degrees 36 minutes; on the 13th, 45 degrees 49 minutes; on the 19th, 46 degrees 5 minutes; on the 25th, 46 degrees 22 minutes; and on the last day of the month, 46 degrees 40 minutes. The meridian altitude of Saturn, on the 1st of January, will be 43 degrees 56 minutes; and on the last day of the month, 44 degrees 34 minutes. After the month of January, the meridian transits of Jupiter and Saturn will happen in the day-time.

HYDROPHOBIA.

MR. EDITOR.

third day from the appearance of this
symptom that I saw him, in company
with Messrs. Sherratt and Kirkland,
who attended him with great care un-
til the termination of the disease. At
this time every symptom which charac-
terizes this horrible complaint was
strongly marked. Aware of the total
inefficacy of all the sedatives and anti-
spasmodics which had hitherto been
employed for alleviating the excessive
morbid excitability attendant on the
disease, it was determined that he
should try the effect of the root of
Water Plantain, (Alisma Plantago,
LINN.) a medicine very confidently
stated to have proved efficacious on
the Continent, as a cure for hydropho-
bia. It was directed to be taken in its
recent state, scraped after the manner
of horse-radish when used as a gar-
nish for the table, and inclosed between
two thin slices of bread well buttered.
During the succeeding night very little,
(probably not more than two scruples,)
was administered. On the following
morning the symptoms were precisely
as on the preceding evening. The use
of the Water Plantain was forcibly re-
commended, and between half-past
nine, A. M. and half-past one o'clock,
P. M. he had taken from three to four
drachms of the medicine. At this time
the dread of liquids had left him, and
all those irritable feelings which are
attendant on the disease, were essen-
tially relieved. The dread of swallow-
ing liquids never returned. At a little
past eight o'clock in the evening, he
swallowed, without difficulty, a wine-
glass of cider. In a short time after-

rium, with a pulse so accelerated as to
be incapable of ascertaining its velo-
city, congestion about the heart and in
the lungs, &c.) rapidly increasing, the
power of swallowing was lost, and at
a quarter-past eleven o'clock he quietly
expired.

SIR,-The many instances of the dis-wards the symptoms of debility, (deli-
ease technically termed Hydrophobia, |
which have lately occurred in different
parts of this empire, have not failed to
excite in many a reasonable, and in
some perhaps an unreasonable, degree
of alarm. It is neither for the purpose
of increasing this alarm, nor from a
wish to obtrude myself on public no-
tice, that I inform you, that an addi-
tional instance has occurred here with-
in a few weeks, in the person of James
Webster, a boy about 14 years of age.
The latent period of interval between

It may perhaps be right to mention that the additional means employed were, a dose of ipecacuanha, administered before the nature of the disease was ascertained, and which produced no effect; leeches to the nape of the

neck, succeeded by a caustic, which answered but imperfectly; and such medicines as were necessary to unload the intestines. How far the cessation of one important symptom, and the diminution of the rest, in this instance, ought to be attributed to the effect of the remedy employed, may perhaps admit of rational doubt. 1st. Because there is nothing in the sensible qualities of the root of Water Plantain which could lead us to expect it to be possessed of such powers. 2d. That cases have sometimes, although rarely, occurred, in which a considerable alleviation of these symptoms has taken place towards the close of the disease. Allow me, nevertheless, to trespass 3d. That it would be not only unfair, on the patience of your readers, by but highly unphilosophical, to ground suggesting to those of my medical an opinion of this importance on what brethren into whose hands your publioccurred in one single instance, how-cation may fall, the following queries: ever well authenticated. And, 4thly. Because allowing its efficacy in alleviating certain symptoms, it is clear that it did not prolong the life of the patient a single hour.

us one step, and, if my suspicions be correct, it would only be one step towards an effectual mode of protecting the patient against the fatal effects of this poison. What I have already said, will, I hope, be considered an ample apology for troubling you on the present occasion. As a general rule, I am unfriendly to the publication of single casest, and I am still more so to the propagation of opinions, for the most part, if not purely, hypothetical. The comparatively rare occurrence of the disease may be an apology for the former; but of the latter we have already had more than enough.

Far be it from me to attribute too much to the effect of any remedy whatever. I consider the conduct of the learned and judicious Mead, as connected with this point, a sufficient guard against credulity. Not having, however, been able to discover any case on record in which the symptoms have so suddenly and decidedly given way, I feel disposed to consider this medicine worthy of further trial, conscious that the discovery of any thing which is capable of alleviating the morbid excitability attendant on the disease, is not only a matter of importance, as contributing to the comfort of the sufferer, but as perhaps advancing

*To such of your readers as are Members of the Medical Profession, it may be right to explain the motive for adopting these two remedies. In the course of conversation some months ago with Mr. Rogerson, an ingenious Surgeon residing in Wigan, he informed me that he had had an opportunity of examining, I think, three dogs which had died rabid : that he found in all of them, that the pia mater, investing the cervical portion of the medulla spinalis, was in a state of inflammation-a remark confirmed by Orfila. Conceiving that, should such inflammation form a part of the disease in man, it ought not

to be overlooked, leeches and caustic were

applied as near the part as possible. Examination, post mortem, proved that in this case it did exist. It may be worth mentioning, that the oxy-cyanie acid has been lately given, in a case of hydrophobia, in large doses, (sixteen drops every two hours), without any apparent effect.

1st. May not the want of our success hitherto in the discovery of a proper mode of treatment, be mainly attributed to our having taken an incorrect, or a too partial, view of the subject?

2d. Is it not more consistent with sound philosophy; or, in other words, with what we know of the history of disease in general; that we should devote our attention to the discovery of a proper mode of treatment, than waste our time in hunting after a specific antidote, which it seems physically impossible should exist?

3d. How far is it probable, when we consider the very opposite effects produced by this morbid poison, on man and on the dog, that any experiments made on the latter can tend to elucidate the proper means of relieving the former?

4th. May it not be worth while carefully to investigate and compare the effects of this with that of other morbid poisons, conscious that analogy, although in some instances an uncertain, is in others a safe and an ellicient guide?

5th. Is it not reasonable to suppose that any theory of the disease will be useless or unimportant which does not tend to reconcile the discordant opinions advanced from time to time, by able and ingenious men; and to explain those facts, apparently still more

I have been chiefly induced publicly to notice Webster's case, by a belief that it is the first instance in which the root of the Water Plantain has been tried in this country.

discordant, which are recorded on the ANECDOTE OF THE DUKE OF SOMERauthority of those whose discernment and veracity it would be worse than idle to call in question?

INCONSISTENCIES OF A MODERN TOURIST.

We have received the following communication from a correspondent, under a signature, not much more consistent in itself, than the paragraphs which he exposes, and on which he animadverts, are with each other. On this account his assumed name is concealed; and to hide the cloven foot which many readers would discover in some of his remarks, they have undergone an abridgment. EDITOR.

MR. EDITOR. SIR,-Having always made it a practice to amuse myself during the few