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The gentlemen who placed this inscription over the grave of this intrepid and enterprizing traveller, hope that every European visiting this spot will cause the ground to be cleared, and the fence round the grave repaired, if necessary."

Mr. Belzoni had been landed by Captain Filmore, R. N. at Benin; (whose polite attention to Mr. Belzoni, and to the interests of science, forms such a contrast to the treatment of Mr. Belzoni in another quarter by English agents.) Captain Filmore exerted himself assiduously in assisting the intrepid traveller, and discharged a man from his vessel who was a native of Houssa, that he might accompany Mr. B on his route. The following extract of a letter contains most of the late particulars respecting this enterprising and scientific individual. It is dated from British Acera, January 7.

"On the night of the 24th of November, he, Mr. Belzoni, left us with Mr. Houtson for Gato. On parting with us, he seemed a little agitated, particularly when the crew (of the brig which brought him,) to each of whom he had made a present, gave him three loud chcers on leaving the vessel. 'God bless you, my fine fellows, and send you a happy sight of your country and friends was his answer. On the 3d of December I received a letter from Mr. Houtson, requesting me to come to Benin, as Mr. B. was lying dangerously ill, and, in case of death, wishing a second person to be present. I was prevented going, not only by business, but a severe fever, which had then hold of me On the 5th, I had a second letter from Mr. H. with the particulars of Mr. B.'s end, and one from himself, almost illegible, dated Dec. 2, requesting me to assist in the disposal of his effects, and to remit the proceeds home to his agefits, Messrs. Briggs, Brothers, and Co. America-square, London, together with a beautiful amethyst ring he wore, which he seemed particularly anxious should be delivered to his wife, with the assurance he died in the fullest affection for her, as he found himself too weak to write his last wishes and adieus.

"At the time of Mr. Belzoni's death, Mr. Houtson had every thing arranged with the King of Benin for his departure,

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and, had his health continued, there is no doubt he would have succeeded. Mr. Belzoni passed at Benin as an inhabitant, or rather native of the interior, who had come to England when a youth, and was now trying to return to his country. The King and Emegrands (or nobles) gave credit to this, Mr. Belzoni being in a Moorish dress, with his beard nearly a foot in length. There was, however, some little jealousy amongst them, which was moved by a present or two well applied; and the King of Benin's messenger was to accompany Mr. Belzoni with the King's cane, and as many men as were considered necessary for a guard and baggage carriers. The King's name is respected as far as Houssa, and he has a messenger, or ambassador, stationary there. On Mr. Belzoni's arrival at Houssa, he was to leave his guard there, and proceed to Timbuctoo, the King not guaranteeing his safety farther than Houssa, and Timbuctoo not being known at Benin. On his return to Houssa he would make the necessary preparations for going down the Niger, and despatch his messenger and guard back with letters to his agents and to Mr. John Houston; the messenger to be rewarded according to the account the letters gave of his be haviour, and the King to receive a valuable stated present. This was the plan, and I think it would have proved fortunate had Mr. B. lived. Mr B. began to waver in his opinion of the Niger being a branch of the Nile, after having seen one or two of these rivers in the bight of Benin."

Mr. Belzoni was a native of Padua, and had known England many years. He first visited Egypt with a view of erecting hy draulic engines for the Pacha, to assist in irrigating the country. In stature he was about six feet and a half, and possessed of great bodily strength. His manners and deportment were marked by great suavity and mildness, and he had a genuina love for science in all its branches. He was brave, ardent, and persevering in pursuit of his objects; and his decease at the moment of a strong hope of success must be deeply felt by all who estimate the true interests if science and the light of discovery at their due value.

(New Mon.)

FORGET ME NOT.

Addressed to a young Lady, who, on the Author handing her into a carriage, held out at the window a Nosegay which he had presented to her, in which Myosotis Scorpioides, or Forget me Not, made a principal figure.

I CULL'D each floweret for my fair,
The wild thyme and the heather bell,
And round them twined a tendril rare :-
She said the posy pleased her well,
But of the flowers that deck the field
Or grace the garden of the cot,
Though others richer perfames yield,
The sweetest is "Forget me not."

We roam'd the mead, we climb'd the hill,

We rambled o'er the breckan braer, The trees that crown'd the mossy rill

They screen'd us from the glare of day. She said she loved the sylvan bower, Was charm'd with every rural spot; And, when arrived the parting hour, Her last words were, " Forget me not."

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[Some of the Brazilians pay great veneration to a certain bird that sings mournfully in the nighttime. They say it is a messenger which their deceased friends and relations have sent, and that it brings them news from the other world.]

THOU art come from the Spirits' land, thou bird! Thou art come from the Spirits' land!

Though they sat with us by the night-fire's blaze,
And bent with us the bow,

Through the dark pine-grove let thy voice be heard, And heard the tales of our Fathers' days,
And tell of the shadowy band!

We know that the bowers are green and fair

In the light of that distant shore,

And we know that the friends we have lost are there,

They are there-and they weep no more.

And we know they have quench'd their fever's thirst
From the Fountain of Youth ere now,

For there must the stream in its gladness burst,
Which none may find below!

And we know that they will not be lured to earth
From the land of deathless flowers,

By the feast, or dance, or song of mirth,
Though their hearts were once with ours.

Which are told to others now!

Then tell us, thou bird of the solemn strain

Can those who have loved forget?
We call, and they answer not again-
Do they love-do they love us yet?
Doth the warrior think of his brother there,
And the father, of his child?
And the chief, of those that were wont to share
His wanderings o'er the wild?

We call them far through the silent night,
And they speak not from cave or hill ;-
We know, thou bird! that their land is bright,
But say, do they love there still?

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WHO

THE ECONOMY OF THE EYES.

HO stands so much in need of an Economy of the Eyes* as the writer of" Sights of Books?" Dr. Kitchiner, thou shalt be our Magnus Apollo; and surely hadst thou lived in ancient times, statues, at least, would have been decreed to thee by a grateful world, as the true son of that divinity-inheriting from him a special presidency over the various arts of Medicine, of Music, and of Song; teaching us how to live and to prolong life; to enjoy the delights of harmony and verse; and now, last of all, to make the best use of thy mighty parent's beams.

But setting aside the demigodship, which modern ideas do not authorize, we can equally admire the worthy author as a man. The impress of benevolence and kindly feelings is so strong on every thing he publishes, that it is impossible to mistake his character. There the humorist too appears; and the humorist so good natured, so utterly without gall, that we smile and laugh at his pleasantries without a fear that they will cause one moment's uneasiness, far less give serious pain to a single human being. Thus, the Precepts for the Sight are as worthy of the writer as his "Cook's Oracle;" and we may justly say that, after having contributed to the gratification of those senses which depend upon the organs of Mouth and Ears, it is but following up the same generous design, that he

advises us how to taste and continue

those pleasures which are addressed to the Eyes.

But, to speak seriously; with an amusing degree of quaintness, this is a very useful little book. It is the result of long experience, which is much better than ingenious theory for improving and preserving short sight. Spectacles, opera glasses, telescopes, &c. are severally discussed, and excellent remarks offered upon each: and as one fact in such cases is worth a whole page of criticism, we will merely state that the opera glasses made on the Doctor's plan are the best we ever tried in a

"The Economy of the Eyes: Precepts for the Improvement and Preservation of the Sight." By W.

Kitchiner, M. D. &c. 12mo. London 1824.

theatre. They render the objects distinct, show them in their real proportions and relative positions, and (above all) do not girdle them with prismatic colours, which is done by nine tenths of the instruments commonly made.

The contents of the volume before us are so miscellaneous, that we should find it impossible, were we to try, to give any thing like an epitome of it: besides, as it is already in almost every body's hands, the task would be unnecessary. We shall, however, make the Doctor illuminate his own good work; and leave the rest to the good sense of the public.

"I do not think (says he) it is my Business-I am sure it is not my Pleasure, to register the various pretended improvements in Spectacles which have from time to time been proposed to the Public,-such as the Sympathetic Pebbles-which as the Sight alters, they will alter also to the Sight, by which one pair will last the wearer for Life,' &c. &c. &c.!!! This would be îrksome to the Writer, and useless to the Reader..

"When persons who have long patronized One Eye, and slighted the Other, take to Spectacles, they will (generally) require Glasses of a different focus for each Eye.

"When You go to an Optician's to choose Spectacles, the first thing to attend to, is to look at a Book with each eye alternately, and carefully ascertain, if You see equally well, with both the same distance. Eyes, with the same Glass, at exactly

--

"After a certain Age, the relative sharpness of the sight of the Eyes, varies as much as does the quickness of the Ears-the Senses of Hearing,— and of Seeing, begin to fail about the 40 who cannot hear better with One same time; there are few people past Ear, than they can with the Other.

"The Eye least used, soon becomes weak, and in the course of a little time almost useless.-The fact, is so little known, that I have frequently heard persons who up to the age of 40 have worked their Right Eye-and finding

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"Spectacles are always preferable, because both Eyes by being kept in action, are kept in health-Vision is brighter and easier, and the labour of each Eye is considerably lessened.

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"Forcing the Eyes to Work at Night, even for a few moments after they are tired,-will often put them out of humour for the whole of the following Day, and is of all Eye-spoiling Acts the most mischievous ;—want of Mercy in this respect, has prematurely ruined the Eyes of Thousands!

"Several Young Ladies, of only about 25 years of Age, have complained to me that they could not work without Spectacles of 30 Inches focus-who I found, on inquiry, very justly attributed this premature failure of their Sight to having been obliged frequently to sit up at Needle-work half the Night during the time they were with Dress-makers." [Ab, dear Doctor, beware! These "young ladies--dress-makers," are dangerous patients to look into the eyes of and be consulted by: remember my Uncle Toby and the Widow Wadman.]

"Nothing can be more detrimental to the organ of sight than the clumsy practice of holding a glass by squeezing the orbicularis muscle, this cannot be done without distorting, and distressing, and much injuring the mechanism of the Eye.--

"Green, or any Coloured Glasses, veil objects with a gloomy obscurity, and can never be recommended, except to those who have to travel over a white sand, or are much exposed to any bright glare,-which cannot be otherwise moderated.

"Some more nice than wise folks, among other ridiculous refinements have recommended thin Green-Gauze, or Crape, instead of Green Glass-under the pretence, that while it moderates the light, that it still admits the Air, and is, therefore, cooler to the Eyes.

"All coloured Glasses increase the labour of the Eyes, and soon bring them into such an irritable state as unfits them for the ordinary purposes of Life:-there is scarcely an external or internal Sense, but may be brought by extreme indulgence, to such a degree of morbid delicacy and acuteness, as to render those organs which nature intended as sources of gratification-the frequent sources of Disappointment and Pain."

These miscellaneous observations, taken almost casually from opening the pages, will show that, with a peculiarity of style and manner, there is much sound sense in the author's remarks, and much information to be obtained from them. He proves clearly that indulgence in glasses too convex is very injurious to the sight: but we do not agree with him that silver-mounted spectacles are preferable to the light and close-fitting steel.

We have more than once hinted at the Doctor's good humour and quaintness; and it would be injustice not to exemplify these qualities, which we shall, however, do very briefly. Thus, talking of glasses which magnify too much, he says

"Whenever your Tongue cries out for more dainties, than your Stomach has previously plainly told you is agree

able to it-to settle all the difference of their demands to their mutual satisfaction, you have nothing to do, but toput on your Spectacles, and you may set to at Calipash and Calipee with impunity; for, they will make A LITTLE LARK ' look like

'A LARGE FOWL,'

and 'A PENNY-ROLL' as big as 'A QUARTERN LOAF!!!? "Some Philosophers have said, that Pair is only imaginary,—we may as justly believe the same of Hunger; and if a Gentleman who eats only an Ounce of Mutton, imagines, by the aid of these magnifiers, that he has eaten a Pound-his Hunger, ought to be as fully satisfied.

MEM. The Addition to your Optician's Bill-will soon be overpaid by the subtraction from your Butcher's

and Baker's - -

"A part of the paraphernalia of an Optician's counter, is a Book* of rather a small print, (about the size of the Note at the foot of this Page)-which is presented to those who come to choose Spectacles." - -

The Doctor's recommendations for the study of Astronomy are equally entertaining.

"If a Planet comes to the Meridian at Midnight, at 9 or 10 o'Clock lie down in a quiet darkened room, and rest your eye by getting a nap previously. A little Horizontal Refreshment, you will find a proper and renovating preparative for such Contemplation."

After which, with a Beauclerc telescope, you may see "the stars as stark neat as ever Nature presented them to be seen."

The Doctor also tells us of a curious new glass, by which you can see persons without directing your eyes towards them this he calls a circumspector, (it is also a circumventer) and describes

"The CIRCUMPECTOR, or 'Diagonal Eye-glass,' is a convenient assistant to a Portrait Painter, who wishes to catch a likeness unobserved, and which is perhaps the only way of obtaining the true natural expression of a Countenance-and is also an invaluable Oracle for a fair Lady to refer to, to adjust the irresistible artillery of her Eyes and Smiles."

But, agreeable as the author's company is, we must bid him good by, which we shall do by repeating two of the facetious anecdotes with which he enlivens his ocular philosophy.

"In the city of Leyden, in Holland, a young woman lost her sight from a cataract: the operation of couching was successfully performed upon her eyes, and she recovered the use of them; but it appeared that the Visual Organ (as is usual in such cases) was not completely restored to its primitive condition. Some very singular and unaccountable anomalies in her Vision presented themselves, which not a little puzzled the curious in Physiology and Optics.

* "The Author will be sadly disappolated if in future this Work is not the Volume chosen for that purpose."

"It was ascertained that her Eye was able to define a certain class of very minute objects with abundant accuracy, such as the Eye of a needle, for example, which she could thread as well as ever; but on presenting her with a Book, it was evident that she could not distinguish a single letter, but complained that she could see nothing but a heap of odd marks.

"These facts, no less strange than true, naturally excited an intense interest among the Medical Professors and Students; every one was anxious to distinguish himself by affording a satis factory elucidation of these inexplicable phenomena,

"A hundred theories were framedevery one more ingenious than the other. The Professors Von Kracbraner and Puzzledorf, favoured their pupils with most excellent lectures on the subject, with which they were greatly edified. However, none of the dispu tants succeeded in establishing a Theory which met with universal approbation. Many of the vulgar still chose to think that all the said Theories might be liable to the old objection (however satisfactory and plausible they might appear,) viz. That they were not True.'

"Matters were in this state, when a mischievous rogue of an Irish student, who took a singular delight in ridiculing every thing learned and philosophical, contrived to insinuate himself into the confidence of a younger brother of the patient's by a present of an extra portion of Double-gilt Gingerbread, which so entirely won the Youngster's heart, that he confessed (though with some difficulty) that to the best of his belief, his Sister 'Sarah had never learned to read,' but unwilling to acknowledge her ignorance, had made him and all the Family-promise not to tell."

"Whatever Glasses you use-take care to keep them perfectly clean :' this is as important, as the choice of the Figure or the Colour of them.

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"Every time you wipe your Spectacles you scratch them a little, and many a little makes a mickle-therefore, when you have done using them, put them away carefully in their case, to prevent other people abusing them-as a Naughty Boy did his Grand Pa's

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