alumina is considerable. The following is the result of an analysis of a specimen of clay iron-stone from Colnbrookdale :

See an essay on this species of ore, by Descotils, in the Annales de Chimie, lxxxiv. 188.

V. Peroxide of Lead.

A phenomenon lately occurred to Chevreul which deserves to be recorded. He was employed in analysing a specimen of crystal glass, and for that purpose fused it in a platinum crucible with potash. When the process was finished, he found in the crucible an alloy of lead and platinum, and a quantity of peroxide of lead, mixed with the other ingredients in the fused

mass.

VI. Subsulphate of Alumina.

In Vol. I. p. 467, of the Annals of Philosophy, mention was made of specimens of pure alumina found by Mr. Webster between Brighton and Beachy Head. Specimens have been since brought to London by Mr. Tennant, and the substance has been more carefully examined by Dr. Wollaston and Mr. Smithson, and both have found it to be not pure alumina, but a subsulphate of alumina.

ARTICLE XIII.

Scientific Books in hand, or in the Press.

Dr. Hodgson will publish, in October, a Treatise on the Diseases of Arteries and Veins, comprising the Pathology and Treatment of Aneurisms and Wounded Arteries. The Work will consist of One Volume, 8vo, illustrated by a Series of Engravings in 4to.

Dr. Hutton has nearly ready for publication a Second Edition of Recreations in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, in Four 8vo Volumes, with nearly 100 4to Plates.

Dr. Hales' New Analysis of Chronology, with a copious General Index, will appear early in the Winter.

ARTICLE XIV.

METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL.

BAROMETER.

THERMOMETER.

1813. Wiud. Max. Min. Med. Max. Min. Med. Evap. Rain.

130 17 29-40 29.799 82 47 63.88 3.42 2.61

The observations in each line of the table apply to a period of twenty-four hours, beginning at 9 A: M. on the day indicated in the first column. A dash dénotes, that the result is included in the next following observation,

REMARKS.

Seventh Month.-23. Continued heavy rain for above two hours, p. m. with distant thunder. 24. A thunder shower about three p. m. Rainbow. 25. Windy: cloudy: rainbow. Broad

80

54

67.0

72

48

60.0

72

57

64.5 •42

O

11

76

51

63.5

70

50 60.0

76 52

64.0

75

diverging shadows on a coloured twilight, with Cirrostratus and haze to the S. 26. Fair, a. m. At noon began a steady rain, with distant thunder. In the evening several distinct Nimbi; in particular, a well formed one in the N. E. 27. a. m. Cumulostratus; p. m. rain, with distant thunder. In the evening distinct Nimbi, and a rainbow: much colour in the twilight, with broad shadows on it. 28. Much dew: Cumulus, with Cirrus. At sunset a calm air, with large plumon Cirri, highly coloured. 29. A clear day: the wind passed from S. to E. Twilight brilliant, with dew: the new inoon showed a well defined disc. 30. Cumulus, with Cirrus passing to the inferior modifications. In the evening there was the addition of haze, with a pink colour in the twilight. It lightned frequently before ten at night very far in the S. E. with the wind S.

Eighth Month.-1. Rain at five a. m.: succeeded by a close canopy of Cumulostratus. At sunset, Cirrus, with Cirrocumulus: twilight opake, somewhat orange coloured. 2. Much the same phenomena as yesterday. 3. Some drizzling showers, with wind, a. m. Sunset very dark, the sky being full of low broken Cumuli night windy. 4. a. m. Windy, with Cumulus, which p. m. inosculated with Cirrostratus above it. 5. Rain early; the wind S. In the evening (after several showers) clouds in various modifications, the wind W. with lightning to the S. 6. Much wind at N. W., with Cumulus: a shower, p. m. 8. Close Cumulostratus most of the day.. Rain, evening. 9. Wind brisk at N.N.W. a. m. At noon the upper clouds were perceived not to move with this wind: at evening it fell calm: there were now in the sky rose-coloured Cirri, in stripes from S. E. to N.W. with Cirrostratus and Cumulostratus in a lower region twilight orange, surmounted with rose-colour. 11. A Stratus after sunset, with Cirrostratus remaining above. Small scintillant meteors now appeared, falling almost directly down, and seeming to originate very low in the atmosphere. 13. Cirrus and Cirrocumulus abounded. There was a slight shower about noon. 14. Overcast: a little rain after sunset. 16. The maximum of temperature, for 24 hours past, occurred at 9 a. m. 17. Overcast: windy.

RESULTS.

Mean of the period....63.88°

Evaporation, 3.42 inches. Rain, 2.61 inches.

TOTTENHAM, Eighth Month, 25, 1813.

L. HOWARD.

ANNALS

OF

PHILOSOPHY.

OCTOBER, 1813.

ARTICLE I.

Biographical Account of Sir Isaac Newton.*

SIR ISAAC NEWTON was born on Christmas-day, old style, 1642,† at Woolsthorpe, in the parish of Colsterworth, in the county of Lincoln, near three months after the death of his father, who was descended from the eldest branch of the family of Sir John Newton, Bart. and was Lord of the Manor of Woolsthorpe. The family came originally from Newtown, in the county of Lancaster, from which probably they took their name. His mother was Hannah Ayscough, of an ancient and honourable family in the county of Lincoln. She was married a second time to the Rev. Barnabas Smith, Rector of North Witham, and had by him a son and two daughters, from whom were descended the four nephews and nieces, who inherited Sir Isaac's personal estate. Sir Isaac went to two little day schools at Skillington and Stoke, till he was twelve years old, when he was sent to the great school at Grantham, under Mr. Stokes, who had the character of being a very good schoolmaster. While at Grantham, he boarded in the house of Mr. Clark, an apotheeary, whose brother was at that time usher of the school.

Here he soon gave proofs of a surprising genius, and astonished his acquaintances by his mechanical contrivances. In

From Dr. Thomson's History of the Royal Society, p. 277.

+ When born he was so little that his mother used to say that he might have been put into a quart mug; and so unlikely to live, that two women, who were sent to Lady Pakenham's, at North Witham, for something for him, did not expect to find him alive at their return.

stead of playing among other boys, he always busied himself in making curiosities, and models of wood of different kinds. For this purpose he had got little saws, hatchets, hammers, and all sorts of tools, which he knew how to use with great dexterity. He even went so far as to make a wooden clock. A new windmill was set up about this time near Grantham, in the way to Gunnerby. Young Newton's imitating genius was excited; and by frequently prying into the fabric of it, as they were making it, he contrived to make a very perfect model, which was considered at least equal to the workmanship of the original. This sometimes he set upon the house-top where he lodged, and clothing it with sails the wind readily turned it. He put a mouse into this machine, which he called his miller; and he contrived matters so that the mouse would turn round the mill whenever he thought proper. He used to joke too about the miller eating the corn that was put into the mill. Another of his contrivances was a water clock, which he made out of a box that he begged from the brother of his landlord's wife. It was about four feet in height, and of a proportional breadth. There was a dial plate at top, with figures for the hours. The index was turned by a piece of wood which either fell or rose by water dropping. This stood in the room where he lay, and he took care every morning to supply it with its proper quantity of water. These fancies sometimes engrossed so much of his thoughts, that he was apt to neglect his book, and dull boys were now and then put over him in his form. But this made him redouble his pains to overtake them; and such was his capacity that he could soon do it, and outstrip them when he pleased; and this was taken notice of by his master. * Still nothing could induce him to lay aside his mechanical inventions; but during holidays, and every moment allotted to play, he employed himself in knocking and hammering in his lodging room, pursuing the strong bent of his inclination, not only in things serious, but likewise in ludicrous contrivances, calculated to please his schoolfellows as well as himself: as, for example, paper kites, which he first introduced at Grantham. He took pains to find out their proper proportion and figures, and the proper place for fixing the string to them. He made lanterns of paper crimpled, which he used to go to school by in winter mornings with a candle, and he tied them to the tails of his kites in a dark night, which at first frightened the country people exceedingly, who took his candles for comets. He was no less diligent in observing the motion of

* Sir Isaac used to relate that he was very negligent at school, and very low in it, till the boy above him gave him a kick on the belly, which put him to great pain. Not content with having thrashed his adversary, Sir Isaac could not rest till he had got before him in the school; and from that time he contiawed rising till he was the head boy.