fuch as oil of tartar and spirit of wine, in which it is easy fo to poife a little globe or other figure that it fhall fwim in the centre. Under this glafs fphere there fhould be a loadftone concealed, by the motion of which, the figure having a needle touched within, will move up and down, and may be contrived to fhew the hour or fign of the day. There have been alfo fome artificial images, which, befides their feveral poftures in walking up and down, have yielded feveral given musical founds and imitations of the notes of birds and cries of beafts, and as dif: tinctly and clearly as they are by thofe creatures thefe automatons reprefent; all which contrivances we have often feen. The Egyptian idols, and no doubt the oracular refponfes of the Græcian Delphic idol, owed their original and existence to fuch artificial means; and fuch was, there is no doubt, the brazen head made by Friar Bacon, and that wonderful ftatue in the framing of which Albertus Magnus bestowed thirty years, and which the malicious Aquinas brake on beholding it, that he might have the cruel boat of having ruined in one moment the labour of fo many years. The performers of thefe wonders were, no doubt, critical obfervers of nature, taking which for their guide, they accomplished, the aftonishment of fuperficial and flight obfervers. Thus far for gradual motion. We now come to fuch mechanical contrivances as have an evident felf-motion without the affiftance of any fulcrum or repofing bafis, but are carried aloft in the open air, like the flight of birds. Such was that wooden dove made by Archytas, a citizen of Tarentum, and one of Plato's acquaintances; and that wooden cagle made by the Nuremberg artifl to meet the emperor Charles the Fifth, upon his triumphal entry into that city. His name was Regiomontanus, and he is reported by Ramus, in his Schola Mathematica, to have made an iron fly, which he often ex hibited when he invited any of his friends, caufing it to fly to each of them round the table, and at length, as being weary, return unto its mafter, In anfwer to thofe who deny the poffibility of any fuch things, it may be obferved that it is eafy to contrive fuch fprings, and other motive powers, as fhall far exceed the laws of gravity inherent in the neceffary materials of which they are compofed; and if not altogether, entirely to remove frictior, at leaft to diminifh it fo much, that the machine fhall by its own power exceed any given angle. It must not be expected in this place, that, in imitation of the learned bishop Wilkins, we should urge the probable means of accomplishing this end, fo defirable to fome, and so curious to all ; we only profefs to fhew the particular endeavours of fome fuccefsful artificers, who have tranfgrefled the bounds of nature. We fee the power of cuftom every day overcoming the flowness and defects of nature, as in the exhibitions of horfemanfhip and dexterity of the rope and balance, which fhews that the experiment hereafter inquired, may yet be difcovered upon natural and artificial grounds. Some ingenious men have conjectured a poflibility of conveyance through the air by means of large fowls and birds of paffage, which gave rife to the pleafant fiction of the Ganza's, by the ingenious Bishop of Burgos, who conveyed Domingo Genfales from the Pic of Teneriffe to the world in the moon, as good a romance as thofe imitations of it in John Daniel of Herefordfhire, who made an iron machine, as he reports, upon the principles of a pump; or Peter Wilkins, who traversed the atmosphere of another climate, and found there a flying wife. But leaving thefe fictions for the entertainment of winter evenings, as fupplemental to the Arabian Nights, it is the opinion of Sir Francis Bacon, in his Natural Hiftory, Experiment 816, "that fome machine may be fo diligently and exactly contrived, as to be able Falfe Fortune Tellers. able to uphold and carry up any proportionable weight;" and therefore he advifes others to think further upon thefe experiments, as giving fome lights to the invention of the Art of Flying. Ezekia Burton, in his Anatomy of Melancholy, mentioning a quotation of Elmerus, the Monk, on thefe fubjects, in his usual critical way, obferves, that "fome new-fangled genius will, fome time or other, find out this art." Such new-fangled wits we have feen, in our days, rife to the confufion of numberlefs incredulous people, who conftantly denied the poffibility of fuch a thing. Such were Biagini, Lunardi, and his great competitor for ærial fame, Blanchard, who traverfed feveral miles, at an incredible height in the atmosphere; but their principles of flight being different from thofe we more immediately enquire aften, we fhall país them over. 89 Though it is obferved by fome cautious folks, that operations, which appear probable in the model, when they are increafed to a greater proportion, then by far exceed the power of art. To. this objection may be anfwered, that, the machinery can never be too unwieldy, if the space which it poffeffes in the air, and the motive-faculty in the intrument, be answerable to its capacity. It is with pleasure we announce to the public, a very curious and improved invention of this kind, contrived with infinite ingenuity by a friend of our's in the city, who has executed a model which exceeds expectation, and which, as foon as the neceflary preliminary of executing a patent can be got through, will be exhibited to the public, upon a larger fcale than any thing of the kind which has yet been performed. N° II. THE ENGLISH FORTUNE-TELLER. IT will, perhaps, be objected, that the natural partiality which we have for ourfelves, may impede the ufeful application that is in view in this our plan of difplaying the fecrets of futurity; but that difficulty may be easily removed. Let thofe who diftrust their reason, confide in chance, by taking at random any number from one to feven, and by attending to the oracles which they will find arranged under that number in the two divifions appropriated to the queftions they chufe to afk. Thus the lady, who, in the gay fummer of her life, defires to know"what it is that interferes with her happiness ?" and has chosen the number 7, will find, under that queftion and number, the oracle of Fortune's anfwer: "Her fenfibility is so strong, that it is hardly in the power of Fortune to procure her a tolerable fhare of happinefs." To which the oracle of Wifdom, under the fame number, will anfwer, "Although that fenfibility may fometimes prove painful, it is a neceffary ingredient of happiness, and the great characteristic of her fex." VOL. I. After this explanation, it remains only to fay, in behalf of the utility of such a fcheme, that those oracles fully answer the end of the fage who invented them, by giving a proper degree of comfort to thofe on whom Fortune frowns, and a cautious admonition to those on whom she smiles, and thus fhewing to every one the neceflity of applying to Wisdom for precepts, in all the periods and fituations of life. Various futile methods are practifed to deceive the ignorant and unwary in the affair of fortune-telling, and books have been printed thereupon, containing nothing but vague, uncertain, and impertinent anfwers to queftions cafually hit upon by the chance direction of cards or dice; but our fyftem being formed upon the more firm basis of fenfe and reafoning, we truft none of the objections which are ufually brought against thofe childish contrivances can affect us. We fhall therefore proceed, without any further preface to the questions. Accordingly, the first feven are appropriated to the fituation of young unmar M ried Herbs and Stones. ALBERTUS's SECRETS OF NATURE. HERBS. (Continued from Page 56. BE it obferved, that a good or bad effect is derived from the herbs, according to the predominance of a good or bad planet. To the foregoing are fubjoined the virtues of feven herbs, upon the authority of the Emperor Alexander. The first herb, known by the name of the Daffodil, is Saturn's; and is of great efficacy in removing pains in the loins and legs; its root parboiled, may likewife be administered with fuccefs, to perfons afflicted with the gravel. If kept in a houfe where children are breeding teeth, it greatly facilitates the cutting, and affuages the pain. It banishes fear from the perfon who carries it about him, and protects him from injury. The fecond herb derives peculiar virtues from the Sun, is of a prolific quality, and strengthens the fight, if but carried in the pocket; if provided before pains in the eyes are felt, it proves a certain preventative. The third herb is influenced by the Moon, and affords great relief to thofe who are troubled with acrid humours. It is remarkable, that this herb waxes and wanes with the Moon. To those who are fubject to bloodfhot-eyes, it is of fovereign ufe; the root of it being bruifed, and applied to the afflicted part, mitigates the painful fenfation in a few minutes: nor is it lefs efficacious in promoting digeftion, the juice of it having that very beneficent quality." The fourth herb, Dog's-rib, is valuable for a property it poffeffes of remov ing the head-ach, and pains in the privities. Those who are afflicted with the piles and dyfentery, receive great benefit from it. The fifth herb, under the influence of Mercury, is called Cinquefoil; the root of which being pounded, and applied as a plaifter, heals wounds, and removes callofities. To it likewife is afcribed the virtue of curing fcrophulous disorders. It is faid to be very fer 1 viceable to all who would make an im preffion on the perfon of whom they folicit a favour, as it confers an irresigible flow of eloquence. The fixth herb called the Herb of Jove, is defervedly accounted among the foremost for its fanative qualities, having that defirable one of giving ease in the most violent fits of the gout. The juice of it, added to mead, is found to be a reftorátive, and has been recommended to thofe who complain of disorders in the liver. These properties it is fuppofed to receive from the planet to which it owes its name also ; Jupiter having charge of the liver. The feventh herb, commonly called Venus'wort, is not inferior to any of the foregoing, its properties being equally ferviceable, particularly in removing impofthumes, fcrophulous excrefcences, and inflammations of the anus. Its juice being mingled with honey, fweetens the breath, and people of an amorous complexion have been known to receive fingular benefit from it. Nor is it among the fmalleft of its advantages, that being planted in vineyards or corn fields, it produces abundant crops. STONES. Albertus, having unfolded the fecret virtues of Herbs, as has been fhewn, next proceeds to the inveftigation of Sones, and their properties; a study no; $ curious and interefling than the pre ding, as the refult of his refearches fufficiently evince. The first ftone that engages his attention, is the Magnet, which, befides the ordinary virtues afcribed to it, poffeffes many others hitherto undiscovered. If a man is defirous to know whether his wife be chatte, let him lay this ftone under her head at night; and, if the lady's chastity be proof, fhe will embrace her dear man; if otherwife, the will fall out of bed. Reduce it to powder, and fprin M 2 92 Connection between Form and Spirit. kle it on coals laid in four corners of the houfe, or apartment, and those who are afleep will ftart from their beds, and forfake the houfe. This is faid to have been practifed by thieves, who, by that means, have had free accefs to all parts. If you wish to render yourself invifible, take the Opthalmic ftone, and wrap it in a Haurel-leaf: thefe ftones, being of various colours, fome ftreaked, fome clouded, no particular colour is recommended, any of them being fufficiat for the purpofe above-mentioned, affecting, in a furprifing manner, the vifion of the by-ftanders. To excite forrow, fear, and flrife, incredible is the property of the Onyx, the beft fpecies of which is that brought from India, known by veins of white which variegate it. To create joy, the Silonites, a ftone found in the India tortoife, fhaded with different hues, has been tried with fuccefs. It is thought to encréafe and decrease with the Moon; and if we may credit the teftimony of fome ancient philofophers, the tasting of it confers the gift of prefcience. To excoriate the hand of a perfon, take the Medor, which is either black or green. By experiment it has been proved, that the water in which this stone has been diffolved, will excoriate the hands that are washed in it: the drinking of it is inftant death, preceded by violent vomiting: to compenfate for thefe noxious qualities, we are told it affuages the pain of the gout, and affords great relief to weak eyes. The Memphytes, fo called from Memphis, has the extraordinary virtue of blunting the feelings; infomuch, that if pounded, and swallowed with water, it renders the person fo doing, infenfible of the moft excruciating pain. The Afbeftos is another, highly deferving of notice, being endued with the properties of the Salamander, and not, like other fubftances, fubject to be confumed by the element of fire, [To be continued. ] THE AUGUR. NII. NO man can make any thing, the original of which does not exift in his mind. If even he should accidentally (to make myfelf understood) figure out an cagle, without having feen ore, or the reprefentation of one, it is because there is a powerful aquiline principle in his mind; and this may be either fmpathetical or antipathetical. Hence, whoever depicts an eagle, or fees one fo painted, has formed on his mind, (and his mind is himself) an eagle, either agreeably or difagreeably, either faint or strong, according to the mode of reception in the first cafe, and the power of reception in the fecond. Form, we know, obeys fpirit. The form of the dove is adapted to her fpirit, the form of a pointer and a greyhound respectively to their's. Therefore, WHENEVER YOU SEE A FORM, THERE But there are individual differences, though much fewer in birds and beafts than in men. Every tabby cat is not every terrier does not affiduity. Therefore, as ALL men are not affected by every action of an individual; fo, in the inftance I am just going to relate, there was no occafion for every black eagle and every golden eagle to demonftrate the fame magnetical fympathy. The fituation and circumftances of the two affected, must have been peculiarly analogical to the relation between Philip and the Imperial house. Baker, in his chronicle makes mention of the great tempeft which drove King Philip into England, Temp. Henry VII. which blew down the golden eagle from the fpire of St. Paul's, and in the fall, it hit upon a fign of the Black Eagle in St. Paul's church-yard, London, and broke it down, which was adjudged ominous to the Imperial houfe; and fo it proved, for at his arri val in Spain, this Philip fickened and died. In an account from Genoa, dated May |