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النشر الإلكتروني

INTERVIEW WITH KING RHEO RHIO, &c.

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INTERVIEW OF THE "STRAGGLING ASTROLOGER,"* WITH KING RHEO RHIO, AND QUEEN KAMCHAMEHA.

Ir is scarcely necessary to signify, that the group of islands which constitute the empire of this potentate, is, in direct longitude from England, nearly half round the earth. They are called the Sandwich Islands, by the English, for two reasons-First, Because there would be almost a certainty of European jaws going to wreck by attempts to call them after their proper names-Secondly, Out of compliment to the Earl of Sandwich, under whose administration they were discovered, were they likewise called as we call them.

Such curious exoticts as this emperor and empress are, would necessarily attract the attention of the Straggling Astrologer, whese rambles, do you see, are taken for the purpose of making remarks on persons and things out of the comnion way. Tuesday afforded him the opportunity of paying his respects to

his Sandwich Eminency, at the British Museum. It is very difficult to get at the nativities of persons so remotely born, because, in the first place, their modes of keeping time are different from ours; and again, the difference of longitude, unless chronometers of a like kind were used to mark the time of birth, and geographical distance, or some means equally correct, the problem could not, at the best, be solved very satisfactorily. The only means, therefore, of coming at any astrological conclusions must be by the exterior, and by associating such aspects as have been pending this curious expedition; and having had the opportunity of contemplating the royal islander from stem to stern, and of obtaining some few particulars of him and his gracious consort, what follows has been deduced from all the means of judging that we possess:

A new and most singular weekly work under this title, was commenced three weeks ago, from which we extract the above. The "Straggling Astrologer," is edited by the Gentleman who is the principal compiler of the" Prophetic Almanack," and each Number is embellished with two curious Hieroglyphics.

Description of the said King and Queen, and also of another BloodRoyal, just imported from the same Seus.

KING RHEO RHIо is about five feet ten inches high, and says he is but twenty-six years of age, though I apprehend they don't estimate years very correctly. He has the look of having passed thirty. His make is robust, but not corpulent; and on the whole he is not a bad figure, though his head and face rather exceed the proportion that we call good, especially his face, which is very broad and coarse. There is nothing remarkable in the expression of his eyes, nor is there any thing animated in his gesture or look. He was met by Mr. Planta, cap in hand, upon the steps of the Museum, and by a bob from his page, he touched his hat in an awkward sort of way, and upon being bobbed a second time he lifted it off, and shewed an English roof. His face is of a deep copper colour, or dark bronze, and his hair very black and curly. His manner is that of a boor just raised to a rank above his capacity, and trying very hard to be good-mannerly, but quite unable to manage it at ease. Take him as a whole, he would not make a bad John Bull of the middling kind. The royal regalings at his court are upon dogs; but have not heard of his having eaten up any English dogs.

Queen Kamehameha is a strapping dame, well nigh as tall as King Rheo-also well nigh as muscular, and rather older. She evinces all the peculiarities which any one may sup pose distinguish the thorough-bred Sandwicher: but no marks of tattooing appear on their faces, which was, according to all accounts, as necessary a distinction as circumcising is among the Jews. It is possible, if we were to behold them denudated, as they sit upon their native thrones, many of these national marks might appear on their bodies and limbs. They may be said to have been quite denaturalized by being dressed up in English clothes; and thus made not worth seeing; whereas, had they

appeared in their own scarf and feathers, it would have been something like. Their noses are very ugly, which I am told is occasioned by their kissing one another with them. When a gentleman of those parts salutes a lady very warmly, he pushes his nose against hers very hard indeed; and their noses are held as though glued together for some time, according to the degree of warmth with which the salute is given; and which is finished by routing one another's noses with one another's noses as hard as ever they can rout them: a better method of kissing than which it is most likely they will take back with them.

A very curious and just-landed specimen of another branch of the royal blood from the same seas made his appearance in the court-yard of the Museum, whose face was tattooed according to the finest style or purest taste of that part of the world. Four broad streaks of deep blue crossed horizontally from the temples and ears towards the middle of the forehead and nose, and contrasted very well with the copper of the visage. He is a youth about eighteen, rather thin, and of middle stature. He was under the care of two tutors to be instructed in English, but as he has nothing more to do with their majesties Rheo Rhio and and Kamchameha, than being from some island of the same vast ocean, he is only mentioned here as a like outlandish curiosity now among us.

MR. OXBERRY.

THIS clever performer died suddenly on Wednesday, at the age of about forty. He was the son of a respectable tradesman in the parish of St. Luke's, and originally intended for an artist, having been placed under the care of Mr. Stubbs, with that object in view. Tiring of this profession, he was afterwards for two or three years in the house of Mr. Ribeau, a printer and bookseller, in Blandford Street; and while there, commenced operations as an actor, at a private theatre in Queen Ann Street. His first part was Hassan, in the Castle Spectre. He after

MISS CRACHAMI.-SIGNOR MAGLIARECHI.

wards joined another company in Berwick Street, where he played David, in the Rivals, so little to the satisfaction of his associates that he was displaced. To shame them, he resolved on a public appearance, and chose the village of Edgeware for the experiment. Still success did not attend him; but his perseverance obtained an engagement from the Southend Manager, then performing at Watford. With him he was cast into Antonio's (Merchant of Venice), Glenalvon's (Douglas), and similar parts; till accident threw him into the line which nature and his bent "of mind had intended him. Instead of Peregrine in John Bull, he was put, on an emergency, into Dan; and though he did afterwards try Richard III. and such matters, he at length attracted the notice of Mr. Siddons, and settled into his forte, low comedy. In November 1807, he made his debut at Covent Garden Theatre; but did not produce a very favourable impression. At Glasgow he was more fortunate, and returned with greater confidence to London, where the Lyceum (under Mr. Raymond) gave him the opportunities of new characters, in which he became a decided favourite with the town. Drury Lane, the Haymarket, the Olympic, and the Surrey, have since enjoyed his exertions. In rustics, particularly, he displayed much talent ;

but his humour was frequently rather coarse. His Robin Roughhead was one of his best characters; but he filled many others with considerable ability.

MISS CRACHAMI.

This poor little dwarf is dead. She had been unwell for a few days; and expired on her way home, after undergoing the fatigue of receiving above 200 visitors on Thursday last. The frequency of our mention of this extraordinary being, may have shown that we felt a kindly interest in her welfare; and we are really sorry for her so early demise. Yet the great wonder was that the machinery of life could have been carried on so long in so minute and diminutive a form; that a creature like this should possess all the physical, moral, and

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intellectual attributes of perfect humanity. It staggered the inquiring mind to contemplate her; and one could not help revolving the strange doubts which arose.-Is there here in this pigmy production of nature, which we can merely say belongs to the highest order of creation, responsibility of action, principle, soul, and immortality? The party in whose charge she was, were attentive to her; and we only regret that the exhibition was not made less constant and fatiguing for so delicate and fragile a creature.

ANECDOTE.

SIGNOR MAGLIA BECHI, a Florentine of the seventeenth century, was of low origin, but raised himself by his extensive learning and astonishing memory. It is said, that there was a trial made of the force of his memory. A gentleman at Florence, who had written a piece which was to be printed, lent the manuscript to Magliabechi; and some time after it had been returned with thanks, came to him again with a melancholy face, and told him of some invented accident, by which, he said, he had lost his manuscript. The author seemed almost inconsolable for the loss of his work, and intreated Magliabechi, whose character for remembering what he read was already very great, to try to recollect as much of it as he possibly could, and write it down for him, against his next visit. Magliabechi assured him he would, and, on setting about it, wrote down the whole manuscript without missing a single word.

Magliabechi had a local memory too of the places where èvery book stood and seems to have carried this no farther than only in relation to the collections of books with which he was personally acquainted. One day the great Duke sent for him, after he was his librarian, to ask him, whether he could get him a book that was particularly scarce. "No, sir," answered Magliabechi, "it is impossible, for there is but one in the world; that is in the Grand Signior's library at Constantinople, and is the seventh book on the second shelf on the right hand as you go in.”

III. THE MECHANIC-THE ARTIST-THE PHILOSOPHER.

MR. PERKINS' ACCOUNT OF

HIS STEAM-GUN.

OBSERVING, while experimenting with the generator, that substances, whether metallic or otherwise, when they rose from the bottom of the generator through the tube of the stop-cock, were projected with great velocity; the thought naturally struck me, that with a properly constructed gun, projectiles might be thrown with great power and economy. It also appeared to me, that it would at once settle the important question respecting velocity, as well as power of high elastic steam. No time was therefore lost in constructing a gun, and on the first experiment my most sanguine hopes were realized, as musket-balls, at the rate of 240 per minute, were projected with a velocity equal to gunpowder. I dare not speculate on the consequences of this discovery, as I feel satisfied, that the power, economy, and simplicity of this agent is such, that one projectile may be found sufficient to force any breach, or sink the largest ship, though it gives me great pleasure to hear the opinion so often repeated, that this power will be to gunpowder what that has been to the arrow.

I have found that forty atmospheres' pressure is equal to gunpowder; viz. an ounce ball discharged against an iron target from a six foot barrel about one-thirtysecond part sinaller than the ball, was flattened to 21 inches in diameter; and at 45 atmospheres, its blow against the target liquified the lead. An ounce ball discharged from a musket with powder, with the common field charge, at the same distance, did not show more effect. It is said, with great plausibility, that there must be some fallacy in this experiment; for as it takes from 500 to 1000 atmospheres' pressure to propel a ball with proper effect with powder, it is asked, how can it take but 40 or 50 atmospheres of steam to do the same? Having the fact before me, I think I can find the reason, which I have no doubt is the same as

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SOCIETY OF PAINTERS IN WATER COLOURS.

VERY pleasing pictures may be painted in Water Colours by dint merely of what is termed general effect, without so great and neat a detail of parts as is required in Oils; hence Water-colour painters rarely perform well in Oils. But Mr. Nesfield is one of those painters who disdain the applause of beautiful effects from mere generalising. He details with the truth-taught minuteness of the Dutch, without losing their breadth. For instance---159, Scene in Branspeck Park, has a spirited and varied marking in every part of the outlines of the trees, and the bulletsmitten stag, &c. and as capitally filled up between the outlines; so that, in the comparison, Mr. Hill's (a clever painter of animals in miniature, as is plain in his adjoining pictures, 154 and 163) is feeble.---For effects of clearness and a nice balance of colour, with a fine openness of scene, air, distances, and clean finishing, we admire Mr. Robson. 134, Loch Katerine, and 147, Upper part of Loch Lomond, are among his most felicitous examples. All the painters in this Society whom we have not yet mentioned, have improved much upon their former talent. In Mr. Cox's Shepherds collecting their Flock, there is a flushing luxuriance of foilage and evening's amber glow; and fancy floats felicitously in 48, Vessels sailing up the Thames. In Mr. Turner's Scene near Oxford, 110, Nature revives under the

TO GILD WITHOUT GOLD.-ANECDOTE.

cheering sun from a dropsical overflowing. Mr. Prout paints his power.. ful edificial effects with less violence than formerly. He has the taste of the late Mr. Edridge, with an added purity of colour, and carries our minds out of the picture frames into the sun and air. His Munich, 222, is magnificent, as are his Indiaman dismantled, and, 90, Cologne. Gothic grace and grandeur, the cool, grey hue of its stone and marble, with its shades and stately venerableness cheered by the painted windows, red banners, and beaming sun, like health on the cheek of age, encrease the professional praise of Mr. F. Nash. Mr. Stephanoff's Knight preparing for a Tournament, glistens like a cluster of jewels.

R. H.

TO GILD WITHOUT GOLD.

Put an ounce of sal ammoniac and half an ounce of mercury in a crucible; cover it and lute it well, for fear the mercury should escape. Put the crucible on a slow fire for about half an hour, and then increase the heat till the crucible is red hot. When this is the case, throw the composition into cold water, and when it is cold it will be as hard as a stone. Break and grind, and dissolve it in gum-water, and wherever you lay a coat of this it will look like gilt.

SPURIOUS PEPPER.

An artificial pepper has lately found its way into this country from France, and been hawked about with considerable success. It consists of the grains of the brassica napus, over which a paste, made of flower, mixed with a little powder of Cayenne pepper, or mustard-seed, has been carefully laid and dried. The imposition may be easily detected by splitting the grains, when the artificial nature of their texture will be at once apparent.-Mechanic's Mag.

Mr. Accum informs us that a different species of spurious pepper was formerly in use. This was made of oil-cakes, common clay, and a portion of Cayenne pepper, mixed together,

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and granulated by being first pressed through a sieve and then rolled in a cask. To detect this it was only necessary to throw it into water. Real pepper remains whole, while the artificial pepper corns fall to powder. The same test would answer for the above spurious pepper, as the flour and mustard-seed would immediately become soft, and at length dissolve.

TEST OF PERFECT VACCINATION.

When a person has been vaccinated on one arm, the surgeon should vaccinate the other arm with matter taken from the first. If the first vaccination has been perfect the pustules on both arms will grow to a head at precisely the same time; and if this does not take place the system has not been properly affected, and the vaccination ought to be repeated. This simple and easy test, first brought into notice by Dr. Bryce, of Edinburgh, ought never to be neglected.

TO PRESERVE MILK.

Put a spoonful of wild horse-radish into a pan of milk, and it will remain sweet for several days, either in the open air or in a cellar, while other milk will change.-Hygie, ou Journal de Santé, &c.

ANECDOTE.

GEORGE the First complained, on his arrival in England, that the people did not understand property. "This is a strange country," said his Majesty," the first morning after my arrival at St. James's, I looked out at the window, and saw a park with walks; a canal, &c. which they told me were mine. The next day Lord Chetwynd, the ranger of my park, sent me a fine brace of carp out of my canal; and I was told, I must give five guineas to Lord Chetwynd's servant for bringing me my own carp out of my own canal, in my own park!"

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