Page:Scientific American - Series 1 - Volume 001 - Issue 01.pdf/3



Speak gently!—It is better far To rule by love than fear: Speak gently!—let not harsh words mar The good we might do here!

Speak gently!—Love doth wisper low The vows that true hearts bind; And gently friendship's accents flow; Affliction's voice is kind.

Speak gently to the little child! Its love be sure to gain: Teach it in accents soft and mild:— It may not long remain.

Speak gently to the young, for they Will have enough to bear— Pass through this life as best they may, 'Tis full of anxious care!

Speak gently to the aged one, Grieve not the care-worn heart; The sands of life are nearly run— Let such in peace depart!

Speak gently, kindly, to the poor, Let no harsh tone be heard; They have enough they must endure, Without an unkind word!

Speak gently to the erring—know, They may have toil'd in vain; Perchance unkindness made them so; Oh, win them back again!

Speak gently!—He who gave his life To bend man's stubborn will, When elements were in fierce strife, Said to them, "Peace, be still!"

Speak gently!—'tis a little thing Dropp'd in the heart's deep well; The good, the joy which it may bring, Eternity shall tell.

—'Tis said that absence conquers love.

'Tis said that wine will cheer the heart, But oh! believe it not; Touch not the cup, 'twill leave a smart, Which cannot be forgot. The wine cup as it passes round, Is hailed with jovial cheer, But soon, alas, is changed the sound, The smile becomes a tear.

Too many hearts have felt the sting, That lurks within the bowl; And many hearts it yet will wring, Who heed not its controul. But take the warning ere too late, And leave that cup of wo, And seek a better, happier fate, Than wine can e'er bestow.

Nature has given in pleteous streams, The beverage of the rose, To drink the dew that on them gleans, The flowers their leaves unclose. Then why should ye not drink the same, And leave the ruby wine; It will not rob thee of they name, Nor leave thy heart to pine.

A blind old beggar, with his hat in hand, Neglected by the lazy passers-by, I noticed shyly at the corner stand, With moisture falling from his sightless eye. A child came by—a laughing little creature— With joy and innocence in every feature— Skipping forth gaily to an apple-stand, She saw the beggar, and became less gay; Then flung the bit of silver in her hand Into the old man's hat, and ran away!

.—The following is an extract from what purports to have been one of the speaches in a recent discussion on the explosibility of saltpetre. "That question, sir, whether ignition and deflagration, combined with a large concatenation of explosive substances in a deleterious mixture, ignites by contact with sulphuretted oxid of supercarbonite of hydrogen, and solutions of mineral matter in a mass of unsophisticated materials, is essentially assimilated to the question by the illustrious Pantagorus, whether the hybernal frigidity of the antipodes, passing an orthoganal line through the homogeneous solidity of the centre, might warm the superficial convexity of our heels by a soft antiporistasis."—(Interrupted by cries of 'The question,' &c.)

.—One of the multitude of modern nostrums, is headed "Cliregugh's Tricopherus," "caution to the public," &c., but which we have not sufficiently examined to ascertain whether it is a specific for the lock'd jaw, or otherwise; but Dr. Feuchtwangers Scolicotoxicon, which is highly recommended for the distruction of rats, may be effectual in disabling them at least, if they attempt to articulate the title on the label.

?—In a recent statistical volume in Pennsylvania, 1,000 distilleries have been enumerated as wealth. A cotemporatry inquires how much such wealth as would be required to render the United States properous and happy? allowing each distillery to manufacture and vend 10,000 gallons of alcoholic liquors annually.

.—Take a sheet of paper and wet some parts of it with a solution of sub-carbonate of potas, which must be diluted with water so as not to appear on the paper when dry. Wet some other parts with diluted muratic acid, or with juice of lemons. Some other parts may be wet with a diluted solution of alum; and others with an infusion of nut-galls (water in which bruised or pulverized nut-galls have been steeped.) None of these preparations must be so strong as to colour the paper any. When these are dry, take some finely powdered sulphate of iron, and rub it lightly on some parts of the paper, that have been wet with the sub-carbonate of potas and infusion of galls. Then with the juice of violets, or of the leaves of red cabbage, write on the paper as usual with a pen. The ink is of itself a faint purple; where the paper was wet with acid, the writing will be bright red; on the sub-carbonate of potas, it will take a beatuiful green; on the alum it will be brown; on the sub-carbonate of potas that was rubbed with powdered sulphate of iron, it will be deep yellow; and on the infusion of galls that was rubbed with powder, it will be black. The juice of violets will take a brilliant yellow on the alkali if it be very strong. The juice of violets or red cabbage may be kept a long time by means of the addition of a few drops of alcohol; or the leaves may be dried by the fire, and thus may be kept ready for use; and it its only requisite to steep them in hot water, in order to prepare the ink at any time.

.—To half an ounce of nitric acid in a phial, add one ounce of water, and one-fourth of an ounce of good silver. It will soon be dissolved, and if the acid and metal are both pure, the solution (which is called nitrate of silver) will be transparant and colourless. Add to this a solution of nearly two drachms of muriate of soda, in any quantity of water; this will precipitate the silver in a white opaque mass. Pour off the water with the acid, and add to the silver an equal quantity of super-tartrate of pota, thus forming a soft paste; dip a piece of soft leather in this paste, and rub it on the metal to be silvered; continue rubbing it till it is nearly dry; then wash it with water, and polish by rubbing it hard with a piece of dry leather. Another method is, to add sub-carbonate of potas to the nitrate of silver, as ebullition ensues; then the acid is poured off, and the precipitate (which is white at first, but becomes green when dry) is mixed with double its quantity of muritate of soda, and super-tartrate of potas. With this composition, being moistened, the metal is rubbed over, &c.

The Royal Mail Steamship Hibernia, arrived at Boston on Sunday, having mad er passage in less than twelve days. She brings intelligence ten days later than that by the Great Britain, but we find but little that is interesting.

The news of the annexation of Texas to the United States had created no surprise, though it produced some little depreciation in Mexican Bonds.

The over-land mail from india had arrived, but brought no news of political imortance.

The news of the second fire at Quebec, had excited extensive sympathy. The Chancellor of the Exchequer promptly moved a vote of £20,000 in aid of the sufferers.

The Principal news from the continent is of the splendid preparations making for the reception of Queen Victoria.

A most disastrous collision had occurred on the Black Sea, on the night of the 11th ultimo. Two Turkish steamers, the one coming from, and the other going to Trebizond, came into sudden collision, and with such violence, that one of them went down immediately, with one hundred and thirty-five persons on board.

The Asiatic cholera prevails to a frightful extent in China; in the city of Lahore the people are falling by the hundreds daily.

We are informed that more than $2000,000 worth of American clocks have been shipped to England within a year past, notwithstanding the heavy duties thereon. Ten thousand clocks have been sent from one house in Boston. Cotton goods of various kinds have been shipped in considerable quantities, and we know of several articles which might be, and soon will be exported with great advantage. But what seems decidedly queer, is that the British manufacturers are now putting American stamps on their articles of export, even when set to their own colonies. It is reported that a bale of goods recently arrived a tQuebec, from England was stamped "Saco, Me." We hope our Canada neighbors will look sharp to teh "auld folks at hame," or they may find themselves "taken in" more essentially than they have hitherto learned to anticipate.

.—We learn that Mr. J. Gold, of Troy, has nearly completed a boat, which he expects to make the trip to New York in four hours, by means of an improvement on the propelling principle. We should hope he may succeed; but from the little knowledge we have of his plans, we are inclined to allow him at least six additional hours in which to accomplish the trip. We yet hold firm the opinion that no plan but that of the "Burden's boat," so called, can ever be driven with the velocity anticipated by Mr. Gold. We may say more on this subject anon.

.—Our readers will readily perceive that several articles in this number were prepared for last week; but a little delay in procuring our engravings induced us to date forward. We shall be prompt in future.

.—We have a variety of notices of new inventions on hand, which we are compelled to defer for the present.

We doubt whether any event or circumstance has transpired within the present century, which has served to develope the ignorance and gullibility of the citizens of New York, to so great an extent, ans that of the introduction of Signor Muzzi's contrivance for ærial locomotion. We have indeed been distressed with mingles sensations of regret and vexation, to witness the applause of several of the most popular city papers, and the names of several of our professors of sciences, and men of reputed scientific attainments, appended to a certificate of commendation of a contrivance, the futility of which is so palpable at first sight, that a school boy of nine years would be cnesurable for dullness if he could not eadily detect it. But without proceedingfurther with our own opinion, we will present an issustrated description of the apparatus to our readers, that they may exercise their own judgment on the subject:—



This cut sufficiently represents the machine; which consists of a ballon or ball, (A) made of oiled silk or paper, and filled with hydrogen gas. To this ballon are attaches two inclined planes (BB) which are also cnstructed of light material and secured in their position by cords. In addition there is a triangular vane, tail, or rudder (C) by which the machine is steered on the principle of a helm. The plan, or mode of operating the machine, is to supply it with a sufficient quantity of gas to cause it to ascend, while the inclined planes, encountering some degree of atmospheric resistance, naturally shoot offi in an oblique direction, drawing the balloon with them. Then, when the machine has ascended to a sufficient height, a part of the gas is to be let off or compressed, so as to cause the balloon to descend, and by a simple contrivance, the position of the two planes is reversed, the depressed ends being brought to the front, tehy give the balloon an oblique direction in its descent. Thus, by ascending a mile and again descending, a mile of horizontal distance is gained; and if the atmosphere be entirely coalm, a mile may be travelled about as quick as a lame man would walk the same distance. But if there be the least breeze of head wind, the game is up. And by what means the balloon is to be made to again ascend, witout a fresh supply of gas, the inventor has not informed us—perhaps he does not exactly know.

Such, gentle reader, is the invention which has been lauded by our first men and beggest editors, and of which an awkward model has received "rounds of applause" from a "select and fashionable audience" (who paid fifty cents each to witness the wonder,) as the nearest approach to successful ærial navigation that has ever been thought of, notwithstanding that ten years ago, in a popular public journal of this city,—and again four years ago, in another city paper,—a plan was presented to them, with ample illustrations, explanations and demonstrations of an ærial apparatus, on perfectly rational and established principles, that will evidently navigate the atmosphere at a speed of one hundred miles per hour, with safety, and perfectly at command; being in the form of an eliptic spindle, with a buoyancy of several tons and driven forward by the power of steam, applied to revolving, spiral fan-wheels. Why then, it may be asked, has this new plan produced so much excitement, amongst the very people who appeard totally indifferent to the rational plan? The answer is, simply, that the scientific plan was introduced by an American, while the new apparatus was invented by an Italian gentleman,—the audience knowning but little of the merits of either.

With regard to the inventor,—Signor Muzzi,—he appears to be an unassuming gentleman, desirous of procuring assistance to put his invention in successful operation on a large scale. In this we may well sympathise with him, and heartily whish him all possible success: but we should be glad to have our citizens of scintific pretensions, become better informed in teh principles of natural philosophy, than they have manifested on this occasion.

We had intended to add some remarks on Mr. West's eloquent lecture on this subject, but must defer them till next week.

This incomprehensible art, which has been in use about three years, is truly valuable and must prevail extensively, notwithstanding the disadvantage to which its reputaion has neen subjected, in consequence of the many impositions practised on the public, by the unprincipled speculators. Having been the first to introduce this art in the city of New York, we have had opportunity for more experience in the business, probable, than any other person in the country; and can say with confidence, that either gold-plating or sivering can be executed by the electro precess, with greater beauty and permanence than can be done by the old process, yet at less than one half the expense. But there is a mugh deeper and extensive knowledge of the art required, than is usually attained by ordinary practitioners, in order to insure durability as well as beauty, though there is in reality, no difficulty in effecting it. even iron, steel or pewter may be plated directly with silver, which will firmly unite with the surfaces. It is well known that many young men have paid fifty dollars cash for a mere superficial knowledge of the art; but it is our intention to give in future numbers, such minute and complete instructions in the various branches of this art, and of the requisite apparatus, that any attentive reader may acquire the art, more perfectly than has been hitherto understood by thos who have paid high prices for instruction.

It frequently occurs, that substances of different colours or even without colour, by coming in contact, produce colours very different from that of either of the ingredients when seperate; thus, if a sheet of paper be striped in one direction with a hair pencil dipped in a solution of sub-carbonate of potas; and then crossed with a solution of sulphuric acid, diluted with five times as much water, it will be colourless; but dip it in a mixture of a week solution of sulphate of iron, and infusion of nut galles, it will instantly become a beautiful plaid; the ground being purple, striped one way with black and crossed with white.

If a similar paper be striped with sub-carbonate of potas and crossed with infusion of galls, and afterwards dipped in a solution of sulphate of iron, it will become purple, yellow, black and white.

Stain some parts of a sheet of paper a purple brown, with a mixture of infusion of galls and sulphate of iron: stain other parts green with a mixture of tinctures of turmeric and litmus; stain other parts purple with juice of red cabbage; other parts red, with tincture of litmus and muriatic acid; other parts yellow with tincture of tumeric; wash the remainder of the sheet with a solution of sulphate of iron, which will remain white. Then print or draw with a camel-hair pencil, any figure or figures on every part of the paper, with a solution of sub-carbonate of potas. On the purple brown, the figure will be black; on the green it will be purple; on the purple it will be green; on the red it will be blue; on the yellow, red; and on the white it will take a yellow colour. Thus the figure will appear in colours different from the ground in every part.

Immerse a piece of white cotton i a solution of sulphate of iron—it will remain white: dip another piece in tincture of tumeric, it will take a yellow; wet another piece with juice of red cabbage, containing also a few drops of muriatic acid,—it will be red; dye another piece green by immersing it in a mixture of tincture of turmeric and litmus; and another purple, by a mixture of infusion of galls and sulphate of iron. Let them dry; then immerse them altogether in a solution of sub-carbonate of potas. The white will be changed to a yellow; the yellow to a red; the red to green; the green to purple; and the purple to black; and it is not improbable that the black might be materially changed or bleached by the same solution.

What is true and rational religion? In answering this important question, we shall come to the point at once, without prejudice or sectarian influence; and laying aside all traditionary superstition, which has had its origin in clerical policy, inquire what is now the will of the blessed Deity, with regard to the conduct of the children of men. What course of conduct, in us, frail, erring human creatures, will now, under all the present existing circumstances, be acceptable and approved by our divine Creator, who continually watches over us, and observes our every act, and the thoughts of our hearts? We have so dilligently examined the answer which we are about to give to these questions, and so attentively viewed the subject in all its bearings, and with all its evidences and domonstrations, that we can not think it possible that there is any ground to doubt its correctness. First, then, let us, as rational creatures, be ever ready to acknowledge God as our Creator and daily Preserver; and that we are each of us individually dependant on his special care and good will towards us, in supporting the wonderful action of nature which constitutes our existence; and in preserving us from the casualties, to which our complicated and delicate structure is liable. Let us also, knowing our entire dependence on Devine Benevolence, as rational creatures, do ourselves the honor to express personally and frequently, our thanks to him for his goodness; and to present our petitions to Him for the favours which we constantly require. This course is rational, even without the aid of revelation: but being specially invited to this course, by the divinge word, and assured of the readiness of our Creator to answer our prayers and recognize our thanks, it is truly surprising that any rational being, who has ever read the inspired writings should willingly forego this privilege, or should be ashamed to be seen engaged in this rational employment, or to have it known that he practices it. Next to the worship of God by thanksgiving and prayer, we should repel and banish all feelings of anger and bitterness toward our fellow beings, and cherish love and kind feelings towards them. This course is also rational, having the example of God in his kind dealings towards us; and conduces at once, to the glory of God, the happiness of mankind in general, and to our own individual happiness and prosperity in particular. It is also a rational duty to be ever reconciled and resigned to the dispensations of Divine Providence; and to trust in the goodness and benevolence of God for the present and the future, and to feel willing to have it known amongst our associates, that we follow a rational course. This is rational religion.

.—The following item is the more interesting on account of a recent statement by one of the missionaries, that the Chinese are suppoes to spend $360,000,000 annually for incense to burn befoer their idols:—

, in a letter recently received, says, that a report came to his ears that a native Chinese had memorialized the Emperor in relation to Christianity, forwarding at the same time specimens of Tracts, &c., and that the Emperor had returned an answer in which he said that the publication of such Tracts was calculated to promote virtue and happiness, and ought to be encouraged. Dr. Parker wrote to the governor to ascertain whether this was indeed the fact. The governor in a very curious reply, confirms the report, and added that the Emperoro had concluded to excuse those who embraced the Christian religion, and believed in such Tracts, from the punishment usually inflicted.

.—We shall present in our next number a safe and satisfactory guarantee for the continuance of this paper for a year at least.

(We are under special obligations to the Commissioner of Patents, for furnishing us with the following list of Letters Patent, issued since July 1st, 1845.)

Raising and lowering weights—Ephriam Morris, New York, July 5th.

Indial rubber fabrics—Chas. Goodyear, New Haven, Ct. July 5.

Ship's Anchors—N. P. Jones, & James Raisbeck, N. Y. July 5.

Globes, mounting—Silas Cornell, Rochester N. Y. July 5.

Cooking Stoves—W. L. Potter, Clifton Park, N. Y. July 5.

Saddle Springs—John F. Lehr, Huntsville, Ala. July 5.

Washing Machine—Harrison Hagans, Brandonsville, Va. July 5.

Truss Pads, double—Wm. R. Goulding, N. Y. July 5.

Ores, method reducing iron ore to malleable iron, &c.—Wm. Neal, Clag, (England) assigned to Wm. Green, Jr. Woodbridge, N. J. July 5.

Printer's Ink—Edward Clark, Brooklyn, N. Y. July 5.

Hydro-oxygen Blow-Pipe—Robert Hare, M. D. Philadelphia, July 5.

Planing Machine—Wm. W. Woodsworth, administrator of Wm. Woodworth, deceased, Hyde Park, N. Y. re-issued, July 8.

Ornamental Stove—Samuel H. Ransom, Albany, N. Y. July 10.

Mode of adjusting Toggle Joint—S. W. Bullock, Williamsburg, N. Y. July 10.

Piano Forte—Samuel R. Warren, Montreal, Canada, July 10.

Winnowing, Fan Mills—Isaac T. Grant, Shagticoke, N. Y. July 10.

Sugar Making—Joseph Francois Lapiece, Asa'e. of Charles Louid Derosne, France, (Amer. patent) July 10.

Hemp Brake—Coleman C. Estes, Maury Co. Tenn. July 14.

Plough—Samuel Shearer, Big-Prairie, Ohio, July 14.

Thrashing Machine—J. T. & E. Warren, N. Y. July 14.

Excavator and Ditching—Robert Cummings, Lima, Ia. July 14

Propeller—Horatio Hubbell, Moyamensing, Pa. July 14.

Ornamental Open Stove—Jagger, Treadwell, & Perry, Albany, Assignees of Exra Ripley, Troy, N. Y. July 14.

Air-Tight Stove—Benj. Starbuck, Assignee of Anson Atwood, Troy, N. Y. July 14.

Cure of smoky chimneys—Augustus Haman, Washington, D. C. July 22.

Cooking Stove—E. Johnson & D. B. Cox, Troy, N. Y. July 22.

Carriages—John Kimshall, Kinnebunk, Me. July 22.

Turning Lathe, for irregular forms—Warren Hale, & Allan Goodman, Dana, Mass. July 22.

Managing Bees—Elias Parks, Wheatfield, N. Y. July 22.

Ventilating Hats—Geo. W. Cherry, Alexandria, D. C. July 26.

Brick Making—J. Parsons Owen, Cincinnatti, Ohio, July 26.

Atmospheric Rail-way—James Pilbrow, England, July 26.

Reaction Water-Wheel—Orin W. Seely Assignee, of Joshua Evered, Lodus, N. Y. July 30.

Reaction Water-Wheel—Abner Chapman, Fort Miller Bridge, N. Y. July 30.

Twist Augur—Ezra Chapman, Chester, Ct., reissued, July 30.

Castors—Pilos, Eli W. & John A Blake, New Haven, Ct. reissued, July 30.

Plough—Wm. Bullock—Jersey City, N. J. July 30.

Bee-House—Abraham Decker, Walnut Township, Ohio, July 30.

Hot-Air Furnace—Gardner Chilson, Boston, Mass. Aug 4.

Stove—Jehiel T. Farrand, Port Byron, N. Y. Aug 4.

Balance for Time Keeper—John Bliss & F. Creighton, New York, Aug. 4.

Harness Collar—F. C. Curtis, Columbia, S. C. Aug. 4.

Mode of casting Type—Thos. W. Starr, Philadelphia, Pa. Aug. 4.

Bugles, keyed of Turtle shell—Geo. W. Shaw, Thompson, Ct. Aug. 4.

Artificiall Nipple—Elijah Pratt, New York, Aug. 4th.

Uterine Supporter—Ephraim Calvin, North-Granville, N. Y., Aug. 4th.

Bottles for nursing—Elijah Pratt, New York, August 9th.

Saddles—Benjamin Suits, Chittenaugo, N. Y., Aug 9th.

Butt Hinge—James Roy & Co., Troy, N. Y., reissued Aug. 9th.

Paper Manufacturing—Arthur Varnham, London, Eng., Aug. 9th.

Reflecting Heat Baker—William Tainter & H. S. Orton, Porter county, Ia.

Hot Air Furnace—Adrian Janes, New York, August 9th.

Clocks—Eli Terry, Plymouth, Ct., Aug 9th.

Preparing Provisions—D. Lardner & James Davidson, New York, Aug. 9th.

Gas Burner—Wm. Black, Boston, Aug. 9th.

Improvement in Cooking Stoves—Hosea Huntly, Rochester, N. Y., Aug. 16th.

Lathe Cutting Machines—Solomon F. Finch & James Wheeler, Rootestown, Ohio, Aug. 16th.

Machines for making wooden pegs—Thomas A. Roberston, Georgetown, D. C., Aug. 16th.

Improvement in Grinding Mills—Beriah Swift, Washington, N. Y., Aug. 16th.

Clover Hulling Machine—Samuel W. Powell, Turbet, Pa., Aug. 16th.

Washing Machine—Harvey W. Sabim, Bradsville, N. Y., Aug. 16th.

.—A gentleman writing from England, states that a religious excitement similar to American Millerism, has commenced in that country, under the auspices of late ministers of the established church, who preach the approaching second advent of the Saviour; but that the preachers have all been suspended by the established church. It could not be expected, that the dignitaries of that church would tolerate the preaching of the probability of an event, by them dreaded as one that would destroy all their fair prospects with their enormous saleries and honours of this world.