Large purchases of ashes-and cotton wool have been lately made in the market of Belfast, by merchants from Dublin. The capital of our island possesses very little foreign trade, and for the supplies which they require either for the purposes of immediate demand, or of speculation, the merchants of Dublin are mostly indebted to the out ports. Linseed oil has lately been imported into Belfast from America. This circumstance affords a proof of the effects of the embargo operating in favour of their manufactures. On a trial lately in London, it was proved that the rise on Spanish wool was merely artificial, for at the time the rise took place, there was abundance of the article, and but a small demand at the market. The speculators in this article, after occasioning much mischief, have themselves met with a heavy loss-a fit termination to the prevailing mania for speculation! If undue means are not continued, the price of superfine woolen cloths may be expected to fall to their former level. In some places the crop of flax-seed looks well, wherever they had good seed→→ It is said that this crop in England this year is remarkably favourable. In the county of Derry the crops were very bad. The early sowing had generally missed, and the produce of the seed with which many had re-sowed their ground, was very short. Such was the appearance of the crop in that county about the first week of the present month, as reported by our botanical colleague. The flax crop is good in the county of Monaghan, and in the vicinity of Newry, being improved by the favourable season; but it is bad in the neighbourhood of Drogheda. Flax continues to decline. The holders of flax in Newry demand from 14s. 6d. to 16s. per stone of 16lbs. for the quantities they bought on speculation last year. The London and Liverpool markets are low. Best Dutch Blea, which brings the highest price of any other flax in the London market, is quoted at 105s. per cwt. there, looking down. -The speculation last year in flax, occasioned great loss to the country, by unnecessarily enhancing the price of that article, and locking up a large quantity of it in the warehouses of the merchants, so as to form an unproductive stock.-The speculations in Linen last autumn had a similar effect. The country suffered much from trade being thus taken out of its accustomed and proper channels; and the speculators are not likely to enrich themselves, as neither flax or linen are selling at advanced prices. The linen market in Dublin this month was dull. The buyers mostly held off, and a few of the sellers sold at reduced prices. They who had orders to buy for the American market declined to purchase at the present rates. Not many sales, especially of fine linen, have been lately effected in the market of London, except in a few instances, in which the holders consented to make reductions off invoice. The wholesale drapers in that market still continue to hold off, in the expectation of forcing the sellers into their terms. England feels the want of a trade to the continent. To try to encourage it, an order in council has lately been issued, to permit all flags except those of France to enter the port of Heligoland without licence. They are thus trying to convert this rock into a depot for English manufactures, from which to supply the continent. Exchange in Belfast on London, during this month, has averaged for notes at 94 to 9 per cent. and for gold about eight per cent. The discount on notes has been from 1 to 14 per cent.-The demand for guineas, in the commercial transactions of Belfast daily lessens; and as the medium of payment for linens, their use is also decreasing-they being now litt le used, except in the market of Belfast, and in some of the markets for the finer wide linens; at Ballymena, and in part at Downpatrick; and for one species of linen only in Lisburn, the coarse linens bought for exportation in a brown state. To answer the temporary purpose of sending guineas to the continent, to be relieved from the unfavourable state of exchange, which is from 15 to 20 per cent against London, a proof of the small export trade to the continent, and to procure guineas to send out with the expedition, it is said that gold now bears, in some places in England, a premium of 2s. per guinea-but when the temporary purpose is effected, as no part of the internal trade of England creates an exclusive demand for payments iu specie, it is presumed that this premium will again cease. MEDICAL REPORT. List of Diseases occurring in the practice of a Physician in Belfast, from June 20, till July 20. 30 30 30 0 29 0 Thermometer....highest mean lowest 4 Common contagious fever, 1 Inflammatory fever. 75 Q 68 O 59.0 Syphilis, - Gonorrhea, Morbi infantiles, Fever, contrary to the hopes and expectations expressed in our last, still continues to make a prominent figure in our list, but of so mild a character in general as not to produce any great alarm; measles and small pox are to be seen in great numbers in every street; the hooping cough, so long a stranger to us, has again made its appearance, and as it is a disease that is generally mild in proportion as the subject whom it attacks is advanced in years, it will be prudent in parents to prevent their children, if very young, from being exposed to its influence, for that it is highly contagious, is an opinion very universally received among gentlemen of the medical profession. The case of scarlet fever recorded in this catalogue, was not under the Reporter's care, but he had an opportunity of seeing it, and it terminated in the most fa. vourable manner, nor has the contagion as yet spread any farther. Vaccination goes on with great rapidity, and from a regulation adopted at the dispensary, of devoting a portion of time every Tuesday and Saturday, for the inoculation of all persons who may attend, the poor can have no excuse if they should neglect to avail themselves of it. The Reporter has been favoured by a medical friend, with a sight of a disease very rare in this country, viz." Lepra Ichthyosis" of Sauvage; the subject is a girl 12 years old, the disease has been of seven years duration: what may be the effect of the plan proposed for the removal of this most loathsome disease, it is difficult to conjecture, but the result shall be published in a future report. NATURALIST'S REPORT. Wound o'er the hedge-row's oaken boughs And blushing, the uncultured rose, Hangs high her beauteous blossoms there; Her fillets there the purple nightshade weaves, And pale bryonia winds her brond and scallop'd leaves. The pleasure of Spring is often so alloyed with the chill north east, and nipping frosts, that until summer is confirmed it is scarcely possible to calculate how much we should rejoice on beholding the fairest expansion of the flowers, and it has often been said that the painting of the poet when he sung the beauties of spring was ill suited to our unsteady climate; but summer with more manly pace advancing, clears away our doubts, gives certainty to our hopes and fears, and the vegetable creation, recovered from the rigours of winter, displays one universal robe of ever delightful gren, and animals enjoy a pleasure unknown where the sun ripens the pine apple, and the palm, prince of the vegetable world, waves his exalted head. 20, Corn Spurry (Spergula arvensis) flowering, 23, Blue Argus Butterfly (Papilio Argus) very common. Marsh Lousewort (Pedicu'aris palustris) flowering. 25, Mountain Thistle (Carduus pratensis) Broad-leaved Marsh Orchis (Orchis latifolia) and two leaved Butterfly Orchis (Orchis bifolia) White Ox-eye Daisy (Crysanthemum leucanthemum) and common Honeysuckle (Lonicera Periclymenum) flow 26, Wild Roses (Rosa canina, Ros. tomentosa, R, scabriuscula, & R. spinosissima) in full flower. 27, Flax (Linum usitatissimum) and beautiful St. John's wort (Hypericum pulchrum) flowering. 28, Climbing field Rose (Rosa arvensis) and Corn Marygold (Chrysanthemum segetum) flowering. July 1, Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus) flowering. Oats shooting, Wheat and some Potatoes flowering. 2, Common Orange lily (Lilium bulbiferum, variety) flowering. 6, Tawney day Lily (Hemerocallis fulva) flowering. 7, Upright Hedge Parsley (Caucalis anthriscus) flowering. Rail (Gallinula crex) considerable numbers yet calling in the evenings. 8, Broad leaved Campanula (Campanula latifolia) flowering. 9, Gum Cistus (Cistus ladaniferus) flowering. 11, Yellow Ladies Bedstraw (Gallium verum) flowering. 12, Black, White, and Red Currants becoming ripe. 13, Evergreen Climbing Rose (Rosa sempervirens) and Peruvian Squill (Scilla peruviana) flowering. 14, Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and Sneeze wort (A. ptarmica) flowering. 15, Common Heath (Erica vulgaris) flowering. 16, White Lily (Lilium album) flowering. 19, Sea Starwort (Aster Tripolium) flowering. METEOROLOGICAL REPORT. MOST people must have heard old persons lament how much the seasons have changed since they were young. Instead of the fine, dry, and warm weather, which they experienced in their youth, our summers are remarkable at present for their cold and moisture, and our winters for dark and disagrecable cold weather, without fine and inrigorating frost. Now from an examination of meteorological registers, we have reason to suppose these remarks unfounded in actual observation, and from our observations of the present season, we think, if their blood is not become too much cooled to be again heated, they may experience the same pleasure which the seasons formerly conveyed. June 20, 26 Fine days, Wet morning and evening, Dark dry day, Dark day, wet evening, Dark day, Fine, but cold, A trifling shower, Some showers, Fine, Dark, dry, windy day, Light showers, Fine. During this period the Barometer has stood about 30 with little variation. The lowest point at which the Therinometer was observed, was on the morning of The 3d of July, when it stood at 52, at 8 A. M. and the highest was on the 23d. of June when it stood at 2 P. M. as high as 76. The wind has been in the Northern points 17, times, Western 3, South 2, East 2, and the intermediate points have been almost regularly N. E. FIRST, The Moon rises at 17 min. past 10 P. M. just before Jupiter, and to the east of her are the three first stars of the Ram. During the night her pasage by that planet will excite attention from observers. She sets the next mornng at 23 min. past 12. Fifth, On this evening she will be seen directing her course towards the fourth tar of the Bull, which she does not pass till after Sun-rise. At 40 min. past 10 in the norning, she passes the 5th Star in the Bull, or the Bull's eye, the brightest star near Eleventh, On this day at 10 min. past 7, morning, is ne out producing an eclipse, as she is, at this time, about four ecliptic. Fifteenth, She has approached the first star of the Virgin considerable distance from her. But as she sets about 9 P only a short time to make observations on her position with cipal fixed stars near her. Twentieth, She passes our meridian at 14 min. past 8, the east of the meridian, the 12th star of the Archer, and o to the east, the small stars in his head; and she is directin two first stars of the Goat. Above her at a considerable h stars in the Bull of Poniatowski, to the east of the meridian the west, the first stars of the Serpent-bearer and Hercules. Twenty-fifth, On this day is full moon, at 26 min. past 7 in th out an eclipse, as she is upwards of four degrees north of the eclip min. past 7, under the 4 small stars in the triangle of the Water14' from the first of the Ram. Thirtieth, She rises at 19 min. past 9 P. M. and may be observ heavens, near the middle of the triangle, formed by the 3 first s Pleiades, and Menkar; Jupiter being to the west, and Aldebar groupe, will be a pleasing object during the night. Mercury is in his superior conjunction on the 25th in the morn a morning star till that time, being visible in the earlier part of escaping the view of any but the keen observer. On the first, M piter and the Moon will, an hour before Sun-rise, decorate the ea Venus is a morning star, and at her greatest elongation on the perceive her near the sixth of the Bull, or tip of his southern horn her course to the 13th of the Twins, which she passes on the 12th her on the 7th in the morning. Mars is an evening star, being on the meridian on the 1st 5 in the afternoon, and on the 19th at 19 minutes past 5. On der the 10th and 11th of the Virgin, being about midway the Virgin and the first of the Balance. During the latter the two first stars of the Balance with Saturn, Mars, and th the Scorpion, form a distinguished groupe in the South West him on the 17th. Jupiter rises on the 1st, between 10 and 11, and befo month between 8 and 9, he will therefore, for the most part, b whole night. On the first, he is nearly 60° west of Venus, wh ly increasing. The Moon passes him on the night of the first Saturn is on the meridian on the first at 19 min. past 7, 12 min. past 6 г. M. of course we have favourable opportunit the south-west, in the evening. The Moon passes him on th Herschell is on the meridian on the 1st at 52 min. past 5, 38 min. past 4, P. M. his motion is direct through somewhat Moon passes him on the 17th. BELFAST MONTHLY MAGAZINE. No. 13.] AUGUST 31, 1809. COMMUNICATIONS, ORIGINAL AND SELECTED. For the Belfast Monthly Magazine. ON THE UNACCOUNTABILITY OF GENIUS, FLOR LORA has, in your last number, given an interesting account of some particulars relating to Robert Burns and his family: I cannot agree that he indulged too much in the satirical, and on that account his writings were calculated to injure the cause of religion." No! no! he served the cause of virtue, by exposing to merited ridicule the hypocrisy and cant which with some usurp the name of religion. The cause of genuine religion is aided by the detection of imposture. But poor Burns injured himself, and in this respect I fear his example has injured others, by suffering himself to be drawn with unreflecting heedlessness into the vortex of pleasure. Like most others, he began with pleasure, but by degrees sunk into the abyss of dissipation. On his first coming to Edinburgh he forsook the com pany of persons of eminence in the literary world, who would gladly have received him on account of his genius, and associated with a number of young men, who rejoiced to have his compa ny for the sake of his convivial talents. Some of them were, indeed, of high birth, but far inferior to him in genius, and not superior to him in prudence. Among such companions he acquired many unreal wants, and habits of extravagance unsuited to the simple Ayrshire ploughman and bard, by which he involved himself in inex tricable difficulties, sometimes bartered his independence, and often suojected himself to the most poignant feelings of self-reproach, that salutary, though severe monitor, and corrector of our passions. BELFAST MAGAZINE, NO. XIII. [Vol. 3. Thus, indeed, his example did mischief, and many under the authority of his example have excused themselves in their excesses, on the plea of the privilege of genius. The unhappy Dermody was another example of dissipation and profligacy being attempted to be connected and identified with genius. This plea of the unaccountability of genius, and its exemption from the rules of prudence and propriety, has passed too generally unexamined, and become too readily an admitted excuse for irregularity; but surely without reason. Let us not hastily conclude, because a few, like comets, widely deviating from the system, have, as a palliation for their errors, endeavoured to fix as an axiom, that genius and dissipation are almost inseparably connected; or, because some of their readers, fascinated by the beauties of their productions, have, for a time, forgotten the distinctions of right and wrong, and lost the turpitude of the man in the brilliancy of the poet, that therefore genius is exempted from those laws of strict morality by which all are bound, and from which none can depart without injury to themselves and to the community, as affected by their example. Milton was a poet, and possessed genius of the highest order, and yet he was a man of regularity and virtue. In other lines requiring genius, as much, with all due deference be it spoken, as the poet, the names of John Locke, and Sir Iaac Newton stand recorded as the friends of order. They claimed no privilege from genius for acts of vice; and shall Chatterton, Burns, and Dermody, and others of their school, be allowed to reverse the immutabie laws of virtue and morality, and trample on them M |