For oft their cravings did her hands appease, Like some sweet flow'ret whose superior grace, O'erpowers the various beauty of the fields, At death's approach her mortal powers resign'd; And wing'd her flight in his triumphal car. How beautiful the view!--the shades dispel, Thro' liquid plains the glitt'ring chariot hurl. And death triumphant in the body reigns; Meantime when earth perceives his genial beam, The trees and plants with virent foliage teem; All nature seems reviv'd, and grateful pays The homage due to his enliv'ning rays. Phoebus, still pressing on with vig'rous force, Thro' the mid-heaven pursues his steady pro-When he perceives afar his destin'd prey, Straight thro' the foamy tide he cuts his way; The swelling surge increases more and more, And roaring billows refluent beat the shore. Thus, while the solar god drives on his steeds, Sublime in august pomp he swift proceeds. In glorious grandeur now they move along, ON THE SUN.-By B. F. HOPKINS. O THOU Celestial muse, whose power divine Presides o'er splendid orbs that radiant shine, Propitious hear thy humble votary's prayer, Who now the theme subline does feebly dare. When Phosphorus, the fulgent morning star, Proclaims th' approach of Phoebus' beamy car; When the red orient ushers in his light That puts the twinkling stars to hasty flight, Till now far past the heaven's meridian height, The length'ning shades foretell his setting light; A purple tinge o'erspreads the western sky, Bright Sol seems colonr'd with a crimson dye; Then soon he sinks beneath the mountain's brow, And bids, till rosy-finger'd morn, adieu. GOTHRE. A FRAGMENT. THE sound smote his ear from the midst of a wood, And fill'd him with fear while a moment he stood; So shrill was the note, so loud was the strain, Ere he mov'd from the spot he would hear it again : He through the wood hied with hurried pace, Far in a lone den, near a ruinous tower, did feel; WHEN cold I lie beneath the turf, And peace surround his lowly bed. Like me they yield their crystal tear." Hexham, 26th Sept. 1821. RIVERS. EULOGY ON THE BLESSINGS OF MR. EDITOR. SIR,-The following eulogy on the S. G. vacillating between the intelligence and in the accident of their alternate PHÆNOMENA OF JUPITER AND SATURN, 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 "I need not," said the orator, degree, the most distant planet being "descant upon the great general ad- in 19 degrees 57 minutes of Aries, and vantage, or to this country the pecu- the other in 20 degrees 45 minutes of liar patriotic purpose, which the success the same sign. As the geocentric or of such a plan must have produced. | apparent motions of Jupiter and SaNo doubt you have all personally expe- turn are both direct, and the swifter rienced, that of all the blessings it has planet is further advanced in the 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. "It is a companion which no misfortune can depress, no clime destroy,-no enemy alienate,-no despotism enslave;-at home, a friendabroad, an introduction-in solitude, a solace in society, an ornament-it chastens vice-it guides virtue-it gives at once a grace and an ornament to genius. Without it what is man? a splendid slave! a reasoning savage! 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 secondaries of the ecliptic passing through the centres of Jupiter and Saturn for their two extremities, we will note down the following differences of geocentric longitude of these two planets: On the apparent noon of the 15th of January, Jupiter and Saturn will differ | rectification of the tables of these 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 bis aphelion. 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 On the morning of the 12th of Janu- emersion the 29th, at 56 minutes 3 ary, at a quarter past six, Jupiter will seconds past six, evening. An imbe in quadrantile aspect with the Sun; mersion on the 5th of February, at at which time his true anomaly will be 59 minutes 20 seconds past six, 6 signs, 21 degrees, 22 minutes, his evening; and its immediately subsegeocentric longitude 22 degrees, 33 quent emersion 2 hours, 32 minutes, 35 minutes of Aries, his geocentric lati- seconds afterwards; and an immersion tude 1 degree 13 minutes south, his the 12th, at 35 minutes 12 seconds heliocentric longitude 2 degrees 58 past nine, night. The last visible minutes of Taurus, his heliocentric emersion of the second satellite before latitude 1 degree 12 minutes south, the superior conjunction will be on the and his annual parallax (or, which is 2d of March, at 37 minutes 10 sethe same thing, the difference between conds past six, evening. The mean his heliocentric and geocentric longi- times of the visible immersions and tudes,) 11 degrees 25 minutes, which is emersions of Jupiter's third satellite only a few minutes of a degree less are the following: An emersion than the greatest possible parallax; the 11th of January, at 56 minutes Jupiter, at the moment of his quadra- 33 seconds past six, evening; an ture, being only 21 degrees 22 minutes immersion the 18th, at 52 minutes past his perihelion. We have been 22 seconds past eight, evening; and thus circumstantial in the phænomena its immediately subsequent emerof the quadratures of Jupiter and Sa- sion 2 hours, 7 minutes, 2 seconds afturn, as obtained from the best astro-terwards. An emersion the 23d of nomical tables, because accurate ob- February, at 10 minutes 13 seconds servations of these phænomena are past seven, evening. There will allowed to be of essential service in the 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 the evening of the fourth day from the accession of hydrophobia. To those provided with good telescopes, the rings of Saturn will appear very interesting. The most It was not until the evening of the distant half of the rings is more third day from the appearance of this south than the centre of Saturn; symptom that I saw him, in company and, consequently, the southern sides with Messrs. Sherratt and Kirkland, of the rings are now visible. As the who attended him with great care unplanet removes further from the line til the termination of the disease. At of the nodes of the rings, the ellip- this time every symptom which characses of the rings appear more open. terizes this horrible complaint was To those supplied with excellent mi- strongly marked. Aware of the total crometers adjusted to their telescopes, inefficacy of all the sedatives and antiwe present the following proportions spasmodics which had hitherto been from time to time between the major employed for alleviating the excessive and minor axes of Saturn's furthest morbid excitability attendant on the ring, that our calculations may be com- disease, it was determined that he pared with their micrometrical ad- should try the effect of the root of measurement. Supposing the major Water Plantain, (Alisma Plantago, axis of the furthest ring to be divided LINN.) a medicine very confidently into 1000 parts, the minor axis on the stated to have proved efficacious on 1st of January, will contain 327 of such the Continent, as a cure for hydrophoparts; on the 15th, 328; on the 1st of bia. It was directed to be taken in its February, 334; on the 14th, 341; on recent state, scraped after the manner the 1st of March, 352; on the 15th, 362; of horse-radish when used as a garand on the 1st of April, 369. On the nish for the table, and inclosed between 1st of January, the meridian altitude two thin slices of bread well buttered. of Jupiter. at London, will be 45 de- During the succeeding night very little, grees 25 minutes; on the 7th, 45 de- (probably not more than two scruples,) grees 36 minutes; on the 13th, 45 de- was administered. On the following grees 49 minutes; on the 19th, 46 de-morning the symptoms were precisely grees 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. as on the preceding evening. The use of the Water Plantain was forcibly recommended, 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 essentially relieved. The dread of swallowing liquids never returned. At a little past eight o'clock in the evening, he swallowed, without difficulty, a wineglass of cider. In a short time after rium, with a pulse so accelerated as to be incapable of ascertaining its velocity, 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, (deliease 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 notice, that I inform you, that an additional instance has occurred here within 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 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 cases†, 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. neck, succeeded by a caustic, which | us one step, and, if my suspicions be 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 quali- | ties 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. 3d. That it would be not only unfair, but highly unphilosophical, to ground an opinion of this importance on what occurred in one single instance, however 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. 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. Allow me, nevertheless, to trespass on the patience of your readers, by suggesting to those of my medical brethren into whose hands your publication may fall, the following queries: 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 efficient 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. |