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 conceive how the mere burning of a jet of hydrogen gas within the cavity, should produce such powerful vibrations. The exciting force must necessarily act by starts, and not uniformly. The length of the flame might seem to prove, that the hydrogen gas is not consumed or converted into aqueous vapour, as fast as it issues from the aperture. A jet of it catches instantaneous fire, but is immediately followed by another, the succession of inflamed portions being so rapid as entirely to escape the keenness of sight. The column of air contained within the tube would thus be agitated by a series of incessant strokes or sudden expansions.

The singular fact now described had occurred incidentally to the writer of this article, in the course of his earliest experiments; and he has often thought since, that, on the same principle, an organ might be constructed, which would have a very curious and pleasing effect. A vertical motion of the glass tubes, and the partial shutting or opening their upper ends, would occasion a considerable variety of notes. By passing the hydrogen gas over different metals, the flame would be made to assume various colours. The apparatus might work by a spontaneous mechanism; and while the eye was gratified by the display of rich and vivid tints, the ear would be charmed with strains of new and melodious symphony.

See in this Supplement, the articles, , ,, and .(.) ADAM Rector of the High School Edinburgh, and author of several valuable works connected with Roman literature, was born June 24th 1741, on a small farm which his father rented, not far from Forres, in Morayshire. He does not appear to have received any powerful direction to literary pursuits, either from the attainments of his parents, or the ability of the parochial schoolmaster; but is referable to a class of men, of which Scotland can produce a very honourable list, whom the secret workings of a naturally active mind have raised above the level of their associates, and urged on to distinction and usefulness under the severest pressure of difficulties. The gentle treatment of an old schoolmistress first taught him to like his book, and this propensity induced his parents to consent that he should learn Latin. To the imperfect Instruction which he received at the parish school, he joined indefatigable study at home, notwithstanding the scanty means and poor accommodation of his father’s house. Before he was sixteen, he had read the whole of Livy, in a copy of the small Elzevir edition, which he had borrowed from a neighbouring clergyman; omitting for the present all such passages as his own Sagacity and Cole’s dictionary did not enable him to construe. It was before day-break, during the mornings of winter, and by the light of splinters of bog-wood dug out of an adjoining moss, that he prosecuted the perusal of this difficult classic; for, as the whole family were collected round the only fire in the evening, he was prevented by the noise from reading with any advantage; and the day-light was spent at school.

In the autumn of 1757, he was a competitor for one of those bursaries, or small exhibitions, which are given by the university of Aberdeen to young men who distinguish themselves for their classical attainments; but as the prize was awarded to the best written exercises, and as Adam, with all his reading, had not yet been accustomed to write, he was foiled by some youth who had been more fortunate in his means of instruction. About the same time Mr Watson, a relation of his mother’s, and one of the ministers of the Canongate, sent him a tardy invitation to come to Edinburgh, “provided he was prepared to endure every hardship for a season;”—a condition not likely to appal one who yet knew nothing of life but its hardships. The interest of Mr Watson procured him free admission to the lectures of the different professors, and as he had now also access to books in the College Library, his literary ardour made him submit with cheerfulness to the greatest personal privations. Eighteen months of assiduous application enabled him to repair the defects of his early tuition, and to obtain, after a comparative trial of candidates, the head mastership of the foundation known by the name of Watson’s Hospital. At this period he was only nineteen, on which account the governors of the institution limited the appointment to half a year; but his steadiness and ability speedily removed their scruples. After holding the situation for three years, he was induced, by the prospect of having more leisure for the prosecution of his studies, to resign it, and become private tutor to the son of Mr Kincaid, a wealthy citizen, and afterwards Lord Provost, of Edinburgh; and it was in consequence of this connection that he was afterwards raised to the office for which he was so eminently qualified. He taught in the High School, for the first time, in April 1765, as substitute for Mr Matheson the rector; in consequence of whose growing infirmities, an arrangement was made, by which he retired on a small annuity, to be paid from the profits of the class; and Mr Adam was confirmed in the rectorship on the 8th June 1768.

From this period, the history of his life is little more than the history of his professional labours, and of his literary productions. No sooner was he invested with the office, than he gave himself up with entire devotion to the business of his class, and the pursuits connected with it. For forty years his day was divided with singular regularity between the public duties of teaching, and that unwearied research and industry in private, which enabled him, amidst the incessant occupation of a High School master’s life, to give to the world such a number of accurate and laborious compilations. So entirely did these objects of public utility engross his mind, that he mixed but little with society, and considered every moment as lost that was not dedicated in some way or other to the improvement of youth. Few men certainly could adopt, with more truth and propriety, the language of Horace, both with regard to his own feelings, and the objects on which he was occupied:

The rector’s class, which, in the High School, is the most advanced of five, consisted of no more than 1em