16 THE GLASGOW MECHANICS' MAGAZINE. This sham modesty, however, will not suit his purpose, as it is evidently got up with the intention of irritating our honest neighbours, after having done all in his power to do the same by our correspondents. This is another proof of its being of Glasgow manufacture. Not satisfied, even with this, he proceeds, in the worst spirit of honesty, to quote a passage from the first number of our work, and to give it a misconstruction which would never have entered into any person's brain but that of a violent partizan seeking occasion to depreciate a useful work in the eyes of a whole nation. He has, however, completely missed his mark, and we wonder extremely that the learned editors of the London Mechanics' Magazine did not detect the egregious blunder he has committed. The article in question is entitled "Scotch and English,”. and was merely put in to fill up a corner, at the end of the first number. This writer, evidently with a sinister design, has, unfortunately for his cause, quoted this passage as if it was written by us, whereas it contains the concessions of the English themselves, and was actually taken from a London Magazine entitled the "Literary Examiner," p. 239, published so far back as Oct. 11, 1823, nearly three months before the first number of our work made its appearance. How, now, must the writer of such an article feel, after having thus exposed his ignorance? Where is the use, now, of all his fine remarks about "Mr. Christopher North and Balaam?" Where does the "boasting adulation" lie now? What, in all the world, has such a sentence, taken from such a work, and written by such an author as H, to do with the "exaggerated notions," the "odious comparisons," and the " taunts and sneers," which this humbug writer talks of? it any connection with mechanics? at all. He is just as far mistaken, in his application of the passage, as Don Quixote was when he took the flock of sheep for an army of giants. Had the conductors of the London Magazine known how Has None to be just, (as for generosity we did not expect it,) they would never have allowed such a violent tirade to be inserted in their columns. With respect to "the new facts furnished by this (the Glasgow) Magazine," we doubt not but they are as numerous, if not more so, than those which appear in the columns of its cotemporary; and as to its assuming a " preceptorial character," if it be properly sustained, this ought to have been reckoned one of its excellencies instead of one of its defects. That this forms no part of the London Magazine's character, must necessarily be inferred from the contempt it endeavours to throw upon ours. That more new facts might have been expected from this "seat of so many arts and manufactures," we do not deny, but that it is not our fault that they are not published, we beg leave to state, not for the satisfaction of this hypercritic, but that those who withheld them, when application was made on our behalf, may read this and take shame unto themselves for their refusal, and that they and others who are in possession of new facts and new machinery may be led to transmit accounts of the one and descriptions of the other, for the instruction and advancement of the community, in the useful arts. writer in conclusion, alludes to one and only one of our best articles, though he is perfectly aware that there are many which are superior to any that ever appeared in the London Magazine, and proceeds to quote two or three articles, which, though useful, are of minor merit and importance, under the pretence that they are " of more convenient length for quotation." We might, if we were disposed to produce an unfavourable impression against our cotemporary, quote 'some articles from its columns of less interest even than these, but having extended our remarks to a considerable length already, we do not choose to fill our columns with useless articles, even from the pages of a journal which calls itself a parent, though it can only boast of four month's previous existence to our own. This Notice to Patentees, Inventors, &c.-Patentees, Inventors, and others, in London, Edinburgh, or Glasgow, who wish to have their Patents, Inventions, and Communications, inserted in this Magazine, are respectfully requested to transmit them (post paid) to the Publishers in these respective places, and they may rely on the most prompt attention being paid to them, Notices to Correspondents must be deferred till next week. ERRATUM. In some copies, in the article on Mr. Gibson's Elastic Hats, p. 439, col. 1, line 26, for pasteboard, read felt. Published every Saturday, by W. R. M'PHUN, 155, Trongate, Glasgow, to whom MECHANICS' MAGAZINE. No. XXXI. "O Music, sphere-descended maid, Warm, energic, chaste, sublime."-Collins. Saturday, 31st July, 1824. A NEW MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, Price 3d. Called by FRIEND HATTON, the Inventor, a CHAMBER FLUTE-ORUM, for Sacred Music, or Slow Songs, -Swan Se VOL. II. A NEW MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, Called by FRIEND HATTON, the Inventor, a CHAMBER FLUTE-ORUM, for Sacred Music, or Slow Songs. RESPECTED FRIEND,About twenty years ago, love and music had much more impression on me than they can possibly have now, when forty revolving years cry aloud, in the language of the soundest philosophy, that life's meridian is already. past; I say, twenty years ago, when traversing the fields, with my flute, one blowy summer s evening, I accidentally turned the mouth-hole to the wind, I raised my fingers, and the wild tones came forth like the sound of the Eolian harp. Transported with the discovery, I thought, if the rude blast of the field can produce this effect, surely something may be invented to blow, and then I shall be enabled to accompany it with the voice. This idea laid the foundation (I may freely aver) for ten thousand experiments, and it is only about twelve months since I was convinced that I could make no farther improvements. The instrument pleases me well, and has met with the approbation of many hundreds of visitors. It has two German flutes; the one sounds the key note of the tune, and the other plays the female octave; they are blown with bellows, as represented in the plate. When accompanied with the voice, they produce melody and a kind of harmony that yields general satisfaction. Perhaps some of thy Theological readers may infer, that as I profess to be a Quaker, a departure from the ancient ritual has actually taken place with the followers of the venerable William Penn, (for the old light Friends, it is well known, condemn every kind of music both sacred and profane.) I consider myself as doing no more than justice to that respectable body of Christians, when I inform thy numerous readers that I never had, nor yet have, any connection with the Society of Friends, and I do, and will, bear testimony that, in this town, that part of the community commonly called Quakers, strictly walk in the footsteps of George Fox, except that one or two of them occasionally wear pantaloons, which may be considered as a falling off by some rigid critics. I profess to be a new light Quaker, and like other polemics, have hammered out a string of sentiments for myself, but as thy pages are no vehicle for such, I forbear to mention them. 192 I am busy, at present, making experiments on the celebrated ancient Water Clock-a mixture of castor oil and spirit of turpentine I' find to be the liquid best calculated for the purpose. I have likewise altered its mode of movement from the plan of antiquity-I call it Pousie Nanney's Clock; for, although it should go a few minutes wrong in 24 hours, beggars are not like day's dargmen, compelled to commence labour exactly to a minute: besides, at a splore, or when a row takes place, it can suffer little injury, having neither wheel, pinion, nor pendulum, and being hermetically sealed, the dust from the mealy bags can do it no harm. The other three articles mentioned in my former letter, and Pousie Nanney likewise, shall all be described in due time. Meantime, friend, I bid thee DAVID HATTON. Explanation of the Engraving. No. 1, is a German flute, of the ordinary size, which plays the tune, the fingers operating in the ordinary way. No. 2, is a large C flute, which sounds the key note of the tune, the tone being altered with corks which fit the finger holes, and the mouth hole of it is shut and opened by a lever valve moved by the thumb of the left hand. No. 3, the bellows that fills No. 4, which is an air cistern, the air being pressed up the two air pipes by the pressure of the left arm. No. 5, is a chest for holding music books. No. 6, is a table for the book. No. 7, is the lap frame upon which the whole apparatus is erected. ON A SCALE OF THE PLEASURES AND PAINS OF LIFE. A SCALE of Pleasure and Pain may be made as in a thermometer, the point 0 marking the limit of pleasure and the beginning of pain. From 0 upwards, a certain space may be marked for what may be called ease simply, and as many degrees below for uneasiness; beyond those points, pleasure or pain, properly so called, may commence. Of the many persons in the state marked uneasiness, few choose to renounce life; whence it may be inferred that, in the unhappy state, there is still some portion of ease, and the ordinary situation of life is confined to ease mixed with a portion of uneasiness, great pleasures and great pains being rare. The state of ease being habitual, pleasure of equal intensity with pain will appear less lively, and equal moments of each will appear unequal in duration. For we call every thing pleasure which exceeds our habitual state, and pain, where this habitual state loses somewhat of its intensity. Let the ordinary intensity be estimated at 100, and let fifty degrees of pleasure and pain be alternately possessed. The absolute intensity of the pleasure will, from the habitual state having been 100, be estimated only at 40; but to the fifty degrees of pain must be added the 100 of habitual pleasure now lost, and the state of pain will appear to be at 60°. Thus, intensities really equal will be to each other :: 2 : 3, and whilst the pleasure appears to last only two hours, the pain will seem to have been suffered three hours. Pleasure is evidently made for us, and we for pleasure; when not carried to an unnatural excess, so far from shortening, it lengthens life; it increases the force of both body and spirit. On the contrary, pain does not sympathise with our constitution, but undermines and destroys it. Hence we might presume, that the author of our nature had scattered more of pleasure than of pain over the walk of life; and the least inquiry into the state of men will prove, that this is really the case. For the greater part of mankind is in the state of habitual ease, which consists, 1. In the agreeable sensation of simple existence. 2. In the enjoyment of healthy which, if not perfectly good, is in general, to the decline of life, tolerably good. 3. In a daily succession of action and repose bringing an agreeable variety of sensations, sometimes animated, sometimes tranquil, without any mixture of mental or bodily pain. 4. The comfort attending the daily satisfying of many of our natural wants, which some may be inclined to place very high in the scale of pleasure. 5. In curiosity, an inexhaustible fund of little enjoyments. 6. In the interest which we have in the variety of scenes daily unfolded on the theatre of the uni verse. 7. In the enjoyment of society and friendship, and in the memory and recital of past pleasures and pains. 8. In the satisfaction of instructing and being instructed. 9. In the variety of occupations and amusements proper to exercise the force of body or mind, in difficulties conquered, duties satisfied, and a thousand agreeable sensations of all sorts, in a mind habitually inclined to seek and enjoy the best side of every thing. 10. In hope anticipating the enjoyment of good, whose possibility is seized by the imagination. To this enumeration of the advantages of life, it may be objected that if the preponderance is so great in favour of pleasure, it is extraordinary that no one is willing to renew the career of life. To this we answer, that the same tune, perpetually repeated, will lose its charms; that we are made too to be continually advancing, and that, in beginning the race anew, not only curiosity and hope would be lost, but our previous knowledge would be of no advantage to us, and at the end we should only be in the same place from whence we set out. But could the offer be made to a being of the continuance of life with a succession of new ideas, though the pleasure were greatly diminished, not only the greater part of mankind would accept the terms with joy, but most of our pretended philosophers, who, confining their views to this life, have not, while they complain of it, the courage to put an end to their exthe istence, would be found among number.-M. D. B. MECHANICAL INVENTIONS AND USEFUL PROCESSES. ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE Construction of hospitals is in gene- To avoid these inconveniences, a large hospital should consist of distinct and separate buildings, each forming one ward, erected upon arches or columns, at a considerable height from the ground, and ranged at a distance from each other, like the tents of an encampment. The ceiling or roof of each ward should be formed into a number of spherical arches, according to its size, the crown of each arch being in the middle of the breadth of the ward, and opening into a funnel like a common chimney, which should be supplied with a vane, (resembling that we call a cowl,) so that it may always open to leeward. In each floor, mid-way as to breadth, should be a row of holes at suitable distances from each other, to admit air from below, so constructed that the quantity of it may be regulated at plea sure. In consequence of this structure, there must be a constant change of air; for that which is in the lower part of the ward, being warmed by the patients and nurses, and the necessary fires, will ascend, and in consequence of the spherical construction of the roof, will be directed to the openings in it, and flow through them, while the holes in the floor will afford a constant supply of fresh air, which will move rapidly, as it enters the room so low. A number of arches, with openings, is preferable to a single arch in the centre, because the air, in passing from the extremities of the room to the centre, flows from one patient over anotherand a plane, or flat ceiling, even with apertures, is improper, because the upper air, at a distance from the apertures, cannot move to them. |