doubt that the expansions of air do not keep pace with the di ́a. tations of quickfilver; and, in particular, that from about the 57th degree of Fahrenheit, the condenfations of air downwards, and its expanfions upwards, follow a diminishing progreffion, compared with the condenfations and dilatations of quickfilver.

In the third fection are contained a great number of barometrical obfervations made in different parts of Britain, on heights determined likewife geometrically with great care, and compared with fome others of the fame kind made in distant countries. ASTRONOMY and MATHEMATICS. Article 30. An Account of the Bramin's Obfervatory at Banares. By Sir Robert Barker, Knt. F. R. S.

Sir Robert Barker having, in the year 1772, vifited Banares, one of the principal feminaries of the Bramins, was there fhewn feveral aftronomical inftruments, or rather immenfe ftructures built of stone; fome of them quadrants of twenty feet radius, in the greatest preservation, and as accurately graduated as if they had been executed by a modern artist. Another of these inftruments is an equinoctial fun-dial, the whole extent of which is above 37 feet, and the length of the gnomon above 38 feet. The different parts of these fingular monuments of the Eaftern aftronomy are here well reprefented in three large plates. Article 35. Account of a new Micrometer and Megameter. By the Abbé Bofcovich, &c.

Article 36. Account of a new Inftrument for measuring small Angles, called the Prifmatic Micrometer. By the Rev. Neville Mafkelyne, D. D. F. R. S. &c.

The Abbé Bofcovich having heard that the Abbé Rochon had exhibited a kind of micrometer, which, by means of a prism of rock cryftal, the angles of which could be varied, gave two images of the fame object; and which changed their diftances by the circular motion of one of the two parts that compofed it; he fuggefted fome improvements of this inftrument, his account of which forms the fubject of the first of these articles. In the fecond, the Aftronomer Royal describes at length both the conftruction and rationale of a prifmatic micrometer invented by him, and not greatly differing from the preceding. To this defcription he adds the atteftations of Mr. Dollond and Mr. Aubert, to prove that he communicated this invention to the former, and had it executed by him; and that he alfo fhewed the inftrument itself, fo executed, to the latter, above a twelvemonth before the communication of the Abbé Bofcovich's paper.

The remaining papers of this clafs are-Article 23, intitled The General Mathematical Laws which regulate and extend Proportion univerfally; or a Method of comparing Magnitudes of any Kind together, in all the poffible Degrees of Increafe and Decrease.

By James Glenie, A. M., &c. ;' and Article 26. in which Dr. John Stedman endeavours to ascertain the Degrees and Quantities of Winds requifite to move the heavier Kinds of Wind Machines.'

PAPERS relating to MEDICINE. Article 24. The Cafe of Ann Davenport. By Mr. Fielding Best Fynney, Surgeon, &c.

This article contains the hiftory of the extraction of a foreign fubftance from an abfcefs in the groin occafioned by it. This fubftance was a peg of crabtree wood, ufed in the filk manufactory, and which the patient must have swallowed fixteen years before, when he was only five years old; from which period to that of the extraction, the had been conftantly tormented by violent fits refembling thofe of the colic. The fubftance had been finally lodged in the appendix vermiformis of the cœcum. Its extraction was followed by the discharge of fome iron filings, which fhe had formerly taken in a large quantity, on account of an obftinate obstruction of the catamenia.

Article 27. Defcription of the Jefuit's Bark Tree of Jamaica, and the Caribbees. By William Wright, M. D. Member .of the Philofophical Society of America, &c.

The fpecies of Jefuits bark here defcribed grows in two parishes in the island of Jamaica. It is there called the SeaSide Beech, and rifes only to twenty feet. The flowers are of a duskish yellow colour, and the pods black: when ripe they fplit in two, and are, with their flat brown feeds, in every refpect fimilar to thofe of the Cinchona Officinalis, as depicted in a plate fent out by Mr. Banks.'-The Author has had many opportunities of trying the effects of this bark, especially in the frequently fatal remittents peculiar to the clime where it grows; and declares that it fpeedily conquered the disease.—A drawing, and botanical description, of the tree are given, under the title of Cinchona Jamaicenfis, feu Caribbeana. Article 28. Defcription and Use of the Cabbage-Bark Tree of Jamaica. By William Wright, of Jamaica, M. D. &c.

The firft notice which the medical faculty appear to have received of the virtues of this vegetable, as an anthelmintic, was given in the Edinburgh Phyfical and Literary Essays, vol. ii. p. 264. In the prefent article Dr. Wright particularly defcribes it, and the best modes of adminiftering it. He confiders it as a most valuable remedy, and expresses his hopes that it will be added to our Materia Medica.

In Article 31, is given a fhort account of Dr. Maty's laft illness, and of the morbid appearances in the dead body, which was examined on the day after decease, by Dr, Hunter and Mr. Watson.

MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES. Article 25. An Account of the Kingdom of THIBET. In a Let ter from John Stewart, Efq; F. R. S. to Sir John Pringle, Bart. P. R. S.

The whole of this Memoir is highly interesting, on account of the curious and authentic intelligence which it contains relating to the country of Thibet, and that fingular politico-religious inftitution, or rather kind of heathen theocracy there eftablifhed, in the perfon of the Grand Lama of Tartary. This information has been acquired in confequence of certain late military operations of our countrymen in the Eaft Indies; where the forces of the Company affifted one of the Indian powers in the interior parts of Indoftan, while the oppofite party had called down, from their mountains, the Boutaners (or certain Tartars feudatory to the Grand Lama) to their affistance. At the attack of a particular town, our troops and thefe Boutaners first met; and nothing, fays Mr. Stewart, could exceed their mutual furprize in the rencounter. The Boutaners, who had never met in the plains any other than the timid Hindoos fying naked before them, faw, for the firft time, a body of men, uniformly clothed and accoutred, moving in regular order, and led on by men of complexion, drefs, and features, fuch as they had never beheld before.-On the other hand, our people found themselves on a fudden engaged with a race of men unlike all their former opponents in India, uncouth in their appearance, and fierce in their affault, wrapped up in furs, and armed with bows and arrows and other weapons peculiar to them.'

Our troops having been, as ufual, victorious, the fame of their exploits reached the court of Thibet, and awakened the attention of the Tayfhoo Lama, or regent, who was then at the head of the ftate; as the Delai Lama, or Grand Lama was a minor. The Lama fent a perfon of rank to Bengal, to folicit a peace for his vaffal; which Mr. Haftings, the governor, did not hesitate immediately to grant on his mediation. The governor, in return, fent Mr. Bogle on an embaffy to the Lama; who with difficulty penetrated to the center of Thibet, and refided feveral months at his court. The Author expects that Mr. Bogle will one day give the world a relation of this interefting journey. The particulars contained in this article are fuch on as he was enabled to recollect from the perusal of Mr. Bogle's letters and papers.

The Lama, fays Mr. Stewart, whofe empire is founded on the fureft grounds, perfonal affection, and religious reverence, governs every thing internally with unbounded authority. Every body knows the Delai Lama is the great object of ado

ration for the various tribes of heathen Tartars, who roam through the vaft tract of continent which ftretches from the banks of the Volga to Correa on the fea of Japan, the most extensive religious dominion, perhaps, on the face of the globe. He is not only the fovereign pontiff, the vicegerent of the Deity on earth; but, as fuperftition is ever the ftrongest where it is most removed from its object, the more remote Tartars abfolutely regard him as the DEITY himself. They believe him immortal, and endowed with all knowledge and virtue. Every year they come up from different parts, to worship and make rich offerings at his fhrine."

With respect to the unfavoury prefents which, according to former travellers, the Tartar chiefs are faid to receive from the Lama, and to treasure up with great reverence, in gold boxes, to be added occafionally to their ragouts; Mr. Bogle denies the fact, but fays that he often diftributes little balls of confecrated flour, like the Pain Benit of the Roman Catholics, which the fuperftition and blind credulity of his Tartar votaries may afterwards convert into what they please. The -orthodox opinion is, that when the Grand Lama feems to die, either of old age or infirmity, his foul in fact only quits an actual crazy habitation to look for another, younger or better; and it is difcovered again in the body of fome child, by certain tokens known only to the Lamas or priests, in which order he always appears. The prefent Delai Lama is an infant, and was -difcovered only a few years ago by the Tayfboo Lama, who in authority, and fanctity of character is next to him, and confequently, during the other's minority, acts as chief.'

A very fingular kind of polygamy, and very repugnant to European, and even Afiatic ideas, in general, exifts in Thibet. It is here ufual for all the brothers in a family to poffefs one wife in common, with whom they live in mutual harmony and comfort. Nevertheless little diffentions fometimes arife in this as well as in our European matrimonial establishments. One could fcarce however have fufpected that among the domeftic uneafineffes attending this plurality of hufbands, the following fhould be found in the catalogue. The cafe is that of a modeft and virtuous lady, the wife of half a dozen of the Tayfboo Lama's nephews, who complained to the uncle that the two youngest of her husbands', [-Fye upon them!-] did not furnish that share of love and benevolence to the common stock, which duty and religion required of them. In short, adds Mr. Stewart, however ftrange this cuftom may appear to -us, it is an undoubted fact that it prevails in Thibet in the man-ner I have defcribed.'

The refidence of the Delai Lama is at Pateli, a vaft palace on a mountain. The Tayfboo Lama, or prefent regent, has several

Hh3

palaces

palaces or caftles, in one of which Mr. Bogle lived with him five months. He reprefents the Lama as one of the most amiable as well as intelligent men he ever knew; maintaining his rank with the utmost mildness of authority, and living in the greatest purity of manners, without ftarchnefs or affectation. Every thing within the gates breathed peace, order, and dignified elegance. The caftle is of ftone or brick, with many courts, lofty halls, terraces, and porticos; and the apartments are in general roomy, and highly finished in the Chinese style, with gilding, painting, and varnish.'

He

The Lama was exceedingly inquifitive about Europe, its government, arts and fciences, politics, laws, &c. The Ruffian empire was the only ftate in it that was known to him. entertained a high idea of the riches and ftrength of that empire; and had heard of its wars and fuccefs against the empire of Rome; for fo they here call the Turkish ftate. The Czar(we are not told which Czar: the Author probably means Peter the Great) had at various times fent letters and presents to Thibet. Mr. Bogle faw many European articles in the Lama's poffeffion, which were chiefly of English manufacture; particularly a Graham's repeating watch, which had been dead, as they faid, for fome time.

The chief trade from the capital of this country to Pekin is carried on by caravans, that employ full two years in the journey thither and back again. The diftance is faid to be not lefs than 2000 English miles; and yet fo excellent is the Chinese police, that an exprefs paffes from one of thefe cities to the other in three weeks.

Among the principal articles of commerce in the kingdom of Thibet, the Author mentions that delicate manufacture, the Shaul, or rather the material from which it is fabricated. Various difcordant conjectures have been formed with respect to the nature of this material; as that it was the hair of a particular kind of goat, or the fine under hair on a camel's breast, &c. We here find that it is the produce of a Thibet sheep, the fleece of which, in fineness, length, and beauty, exceeds all others in the world. The Caffemirians, it feems, from whom all the fhauls are procured, engrofs the whole of this wool, by means of factors whom they have eftablished in every part of Thibet, for that purpose.

We are forry we have not room to transcribe, as a literary curiofity, the whole of the tranflation here given of a letter written by the Lama and fent to the Governor. The following paffages will give the Reader very favourable ideas of the philanthropy as well as ftyle and manner of a character fo little known in this Western world.

"Having