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During his absence on the public service, his son, Lord Fincastle, observed an old pear tree, which had long discontinued bearing, with fruit on one branch only. He pointed it out to the gardener, who, on examination, found that this branch, which was about the thickness of a man's arm, had been cut round, and the incision had been so deep as to go to the heart of the bough. As there appeared to be no other cause for the fecundity of this branch, another bough was cut in a similar manner, and the operation produced a similar revivification. Afterwards a deep incision was made in the trunk of an old pear tree, which had been five or six years without bearing, and the whole tree was soon in full blossom.

M. Itard, physician to the School for the Deaf and Dumb in Paris, lately read to the Institute an Essay on the construction of the organ of hearing, and the causes and cure of deafness; in which he gave an account of a cure performed by him on a deaf and dumb youth, by perforating the tympanum of the ear, and injecting warm water.

Three automatons are now exhibiting at Paris-the first writes the names of persons; the second, copies drawings; and the third, which is a chef d'ouvre, speaks and articulates distinctly.

Historical Sketch of the Origin of the Revolution at BUENOS AYRES. By a Native.

(From Mawe's Travels in Brasil.)

IT is necessary to direct our consideration to the period. anterior to the establishment of the present Junta of government, and recur to the events which took place among the people, subsequent to the invasion of the English. The military exertions occasioned by that enterprise, awoke

the spirit of the inhabitants of the vice-loyalty, and excited in them a degree of vigour and energy of which they had never before been conscious. The royal authority exercised by the viceroy, under whose government the country had been lost at the period of Major-General Beresford's expedition, could not but sink into contempt before the eyes of a people who had of themselves re-conquered the country, and had afterwards successfully proved their valour against the English arms. A viceroy incapable, if not pusillanimous, who had done nothing more than passively witness the loss of two important places belonging to the Spanish crown in these territories, and who, by his feeble measures, was bringing on other misfortunes, at the time when Sir Samuel Achmuty had already occupied Monte-Video, was ignominiously deposed by an extraordinary Junta of the people, who assem. bled in the Cabildo, to treat of measures fit to be adopted in circumstances so critical. I shall abstain from giving an opinion on this signal proceeding of the people of Buenos Ayres, which was doubtless no good augury for the interests of the metropolis, and I know not whether, in respect to the illegality of the measure, the colonists ought to have waited for the resolution of the cabinet of Madrid, on a point which, although very urgent, was, in truth, delicate; but certain it is, that had they not, on this occasion, taken to themselves the privileges of the Sovereign, there was much risk that his decisions, when they should arrive, might be dispensed with.— This deposal, by a natural consequence, gave the chair of the Viceroy Sobremonte to the naval captain, Don Santiago Liniers, a French emigrant, who had headed the military expedition which restored the place to the Spaniards on the 12th of August 1806, and who occupied the same rank when it was invaded by General Whitelocke in 1807. It may with

truth

truth be said, that accident alone effected the elevation of this man; devoid of morals, and a victim of dissipation and gaming, he was sunk into a humiliating obscurity, whence he rose from the condition of a subaltern to the high rank of chief of these provinces, of which he had just been the restorer and defender, not by the effect of his military talents, but through the favour of fortune alone. Vain of success, equally unexpected and glorious, he devoted himself entirely to the most ambitious projects, and finished by uniting himself with the revolution of Spain, which, leaving the monarchy without a head, and dismembering all the parts of that great edifice, presented to him the most favourable field for the execution of the various plans he was continually forming. At one time it appeared to be his intention to keep all these parts of the kingdom inactive, until the fate of the metropolis should be decided, and he might join the victorious dynasty, as was done by his predecessors in the war of the Succession; at another time, he openly favoured the cause of the French, and, as if he distrusted the result of the contest, seemed desirous of precipitating these countries into the power of the Usurper. He even ventured to issue cautionary proclamations of an insidious nature, in which he invoked the name of His Imperial and Royal Majesty, a name hitherto never recognized in these regions, and sent out emissaries with letters for Napoleon, giving an account of the state of the colony, as he had done even in the time of Charles IV., when he addressed to Paris the accounts of the late defeat of the English in the river Plata, suing, by this plausible pretext, the favour of the Regulator of the Destinies of Europe, for such he styled him. Lastly, he was disposed to uphold the pretensions of the Infanta Carlota to the internal government of that territory, by way of a provisional

administration, during the uncertain state of the Spanish monarchy. Of all these projects, among which I should be at a loss to distinguish the favourite one, the basis and indispensable condition was, the permanency of his own command in the provinces, which is indeed the end and motive of all the public functionaries of America; and, as it was to be feared, that the disorder in the metropolis might give rise to commotions in the colonies, which are ever to be dreaded by the constituted authorities, the Viceroy Liniers thought proper to conceal the real state of affairs, at least for some time, until he might be able, with greater security, to fix his views on a certain point. Conformably to this safe line of policy, he contradicted all the rumours which had been spread, respecting the disastrous fortunes of the house of Bourbon in Europe, and constantly gave the lie to all the varying accounts concerning them which were received through private channels, so that whoever dared to doubt the sincerity of the French towards Spain, was accused of treason and blasphemy. The magistrates (Oidores) would have entered into the plan, had it been merely for the sake of continuing in their offices; and the Cabildo, at that time composed of European Spaniards, favoured these artifices without seeing their drift; for, from the remarkable ignorance which notoriously characterized every individual among them, we have not the smallest scruple in impeaching their judgment; but, as a voluntary concession to their sense of honour, we would rather allow, that the sole intention which actuated them, was a rage for suppressing bad news. From these different elements of authority, cunningly combined by Liniers, was formed an extraordinary Junta, (convoked and presided over by himself,) to determine on all public concerns which presented themselves; this establishment, however,

was

was accidental, and produced no other effect than that of giving efficiency to the will of their chief.

The arrival of a French sloop of war at Maldonado in the month of July, of the same year (1807,) with an emissary sent by Napoleon, produced a change of scene, and developed the mystery. However, as the vessel had arrived at sixty leagues distance from the capital, the affair was still misrepresented to the people, who were told, that, in proof of the good faith with which the French had entered Spain, Napoleon sent this ship, laden with muskets and other arms, in order that they might defend themselves against the English, The Old Spaniards resident in Buenos Ayres were the greatest dupes of this miserable imposture; and for two successive nights exhibited the ridiculous spectacle of parading the streets with bands of music and lighted torches, and rending the air with acclamations of Viva Napoleon: so earnest were they in this classic display of their stupid foolishness, that, it may be presumed, they excited the compassion even of those who contrived the deception. The emissary having arrived at the capital, the Junta above mentioned was convened, and his dispatches were read; they consisted of some orders from the new ministers O'Farrel and Azanza, giving an account of the occurrences at Aranjuez and Bayonne, and the consequent abdications of the crown of Spain in favour of Joseph. In these papers, reflections were made on the necessity of acceding to such measures, even if it were for no other reason than that of avoiding a disastrous war, which could be productive of no advantage, as its last result would be the ruin of the nation, which, in that case, would have to yield unconditionally to the law of the conqueror; whereas an opportunity now offered, of peaceably placing at its head a wise king, supported by the immense influence and

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power of his omnipotent brother. To this was added, a long and piteous narrative of the evils brought on Spain by the family of the Bourbons, especially by its latter branches, whose misconduct, although described in exaggerated terms, and with a malicious design, was not altogether misrepresented; the whole concluded with an admonition to the Americans, stating, that the well-disposed Spaniards of the metropolis expected that they would conduct themselves in this critical conjuncture, at least, with the prudence which their forefathers had manifested in the war of the Succession. Moreover, there came orders from the council of Castille, requiring that oaths of allegiance should be taken for the new King Joseph, with others for the Emperor Napoleon, and an additional mass of printed papers were distributed on the occasion. As these papers imposed a responsibility on the chiefs of the Viceroyalty for whatever contravention or resistance might take place, and as the affair was of such high importance, the government thought they could free themselves from such responsibility by transferring it to the people, who might, of their own accord, take a resolution for which they themselves wanted courage, and which, being adopted as it were by the force of the general will, would prevent any blame being attributed to the persons in power.— The Cabildo were of opinion, that the state of the monarchy should be made public, and that, by burning the papers brought by the emissary, (which was done to the printed ones, but not to the ministerial orders, &c.) an idea of the nature of his commission might go forth, and they might then wait to see what part the people would take, still inclining them to hope for a favourable turn to the existing disasters, which, in their judgment, were but transitory.

(To be concluded in our next.)

Account

Account of Tumuli, or Laws, which have been lately levelled and examined in STRATHMORE.

:

(Concluded from p. 428.)

IT may not be uninteresting to reflect a little on the origin and æra of these erections. When the absurdities and superstitions of Paganism yielded their place to the rational and pure principles of Christianity, men, during their lives, became so attached to the place consecrated to devotion, that it was frequently their most fervent, and sometimes their last wish, that their ashes might rest where their devotions had been performed Christian churches, accordingly, became the burying-places of Christians. But as this coveted privilege could not be conferred promiscuously on all, it was reserved for the more distinguished by rank, riches, or religious worth; such as were inferior, in any, or all, of these particulars, being obliged to content themselves with as near an approximation as possible to the envied spot: that the latter might be as nearly as possible on a footing with the former, they also were consecrated by numerous prayers, and various religious rites, inclosed with walls, and shut up with gates: hence it may, with a degree of probability, approaching nearly to certainty, be inferred, that the modes and places of interment described, were previous to the introduction of Christianity; and they may be found in every nation, whether ignorant or learned, near to, or remote from, its establish

ment.

Men, ignorant of the art of sculpture, and unacquainted with the use of letters, are naturally no less than their superiors in ornamental and useful acquirements, desirous of posthumous protection and memorial.

Yet even these bones, from insult to protect,

Some frail memorial still erected nigh,
July 1812.

With uncouth rhymes, and shapless sculpture deck'd,

Implores the passing tribute of a sigh.

For who to dumb forgetfulness a prey
This pleasing anxious being e'er resign'd?
Left the warm precincts of the cheerful day,
Nor cast one longing, lingering look, behind.
GRAY'S ELEGY.

With a view of avoiding this shocking want of protection, and abhorred forgetfulness, heroes who have bled in their country's cause, and legislators whose meditations were calculated for the benefit of mankind, were honoured by an admiring and grateful posterity with the most substantial posthumous expressions of their sentiments they were capable of paying. To these material marks of respect, divine honours were often superadded. Many of the objects of Pagan devotion were once men of like passions as their worshippers.The sceptical may doubt, whether the case be much altered among the ignorant and superstitious of the present day, born and residing in what are termed Catholic Christian coun

tries.

But be this as it may, it is very remarkable, that the rudely constructed laws and cairns of barbarians have survived monuments of the most exquisite taste and admirable construction, reared to the memory of the dead by an enlightened and polished posterity. The durability of manual labour is far from being in proportion to the skill and ingenuity with which it is executed. But arts have been invented by which the reverse is the case with the productions of the mind, which, by these arts, appear to bid defiance to the violent assaults of barbarians, and the slow impressions of the lapse of time; and promise to exist as long as the scene on which they are exhibited, and the orb by whose light they are read or admired.

These durable records supply historical confirmation of unquestionable authenticity, and poetical illustra

tion

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laid upon the remains of those, whose memories they wished to be consigned to infamy and abhorrence. Homer, who lived in an age very little acquainted with the arts of architecture and sculpture, either from his own observation, or the suggestions of a mind capable of perceiving and delineating the workings of human nature, describes his heroes, as receiving

at death like rude honours as were paid to our Caledonian ancestors. The Trojan Hector, and the Grecian Patroclus, are each of them represented as having a monument of the kind called law erected over them.

High in the midst, they place the swelling bed

Of rising earth; memorial of the dead.

HOM. ILIAD, Book 23. line 319,

The size of these monuments, for in this they principally differed, was in proportion to the wealth, or grati tude, of the surviving relations,Alyattes, the parent of the once proverbially wealthy, and afterwards tragically unfortunate Croesus, king of Lydia, is described, by the earliest of profane historians, as having a monument of this kind erected to his memory, inferior in magnitude and splendour only to the pyramids of Egypt, the real or imaginary receptacles of the ashes of the mightiest monarchs of antiquity.

There is reason to believe, that this practice was continued by the Grecks till after the battle of Mara

thon. The more illustrious who fell in that honourable, and advantageous engagement, had three tumuli raised to their collective memories. The rich harvest of Persian spoils gathered in the field of their disgraceful defeat, contributed with the commercial and

The snowy bones his friends and brothers political advantages, resulting from

place,

With tears, collected in a golden vase;
The golden vase, in purple palls they roll'd,
Of softest texture, and inwrought with gold:
Last o'er the urn the sacred earth they spread,
And rais'd a tomb, memorial of the dead.

HOM. ILIAD, Book 24. line 1003.

The preceding account is, in the original, adorned with the graces of poetry, and these are, in the translation, heightened by the splendid genius of a most elegant versifier; but, when divested of these adventi tious ornaments, the account will be found literally to apply to such monuments as have been described. The more forcible, and particular account, of the interment of the Grecian hero is to the same purpose.

*Josh. vii. 26,---29. 2 Sam. xviii. 17,

the victory, to exalt the Athenians to a degree of consideration and attained. The effect of these soon wealth, which they had never before appeared in the splendour and elegance of their public erections; behis own admired and immortal fusides embalming their memories, in neral orations, Pericles honoured the memories of those who fell in their country's cause, with paintings, and ters, and placed in the most conspistatues, executed by the ablest mascuous, or sacred places of the capital of their native country.

equal facility, and no less perspicuity, The same practice might, with be traced in the ruder periods of the Roman republic; but as the labour would be tedious, and so far as illustration is concerned, superfluous, it

may,

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