trements and flowing perukes, joining hands, and bowing almost to the ground. The Welcome Rodney to the Prince of Wales,' at Lambeth, is the only modern falutation I recollect.

We are put in mind of a ftriking period of our history by the Saracen's Head. The rough minner in which that people treated our crufaders, and the founding tales that were told of them by thofe who returned from engaging with them to their own country, gave this fign the formidable appearance it wears to this day.

The local history which figns afford us is not to be defpifed, The M tre at Lambeth, and the Hop-pole at Worcester, are fpecimens of this fort. Bishop Blaite, the patron of the wool-combers, adorns a fign in mol towns which have any connexion with the woollen manufacture. Dog and Bear, in the Borough, perpetuates the memory of the Beargarden there; and Simon the Tanner, as I have faid before, juftly holds a place among the brethren of that myftery at Bermondsey..

The

It is pleafant enough to remark the contells about the point of originality between neighbouring signs of the fame defcription. Some years ago, the difputes ran very high between the magpies on the Windfor road; and the pride of antiquity had nearly carried back their claims to the ark itfelf. We had accordingly, the Magpie, the Old Magpie, and the Old Original Magpie.

Sign-pot poetry is much too exten

five a field for me to enter upon in this place; but I almost wonder that the prevailing tafte for fcraps and collections of all forts, has not fet fome of my worthy contemporaries to work upon thefe fpecimens. I think admirers in this age might be found for them; and it is evident how fruitful fuch a compilation would be in fubjects for the painters and engravers of the day, who are grafping at every thing that can be embodied and reprefented, and laying the whole world under contribution to their arts. The young ftudent, who fets out from the Bull Inn, in Holborn, to travel to Oxford, may remark his approach to the feat of the Mufes, in the following models of alehouse poetry.

Fine Purl rare o, Fit for a hero. If not in hafte, Step in and tafte."

I am a Fox, you plainly fee;
There is no harm can come of me;
My mafter he has plac'd me here,
To let you know he fells good becr.'

I have now nearly exhaufted my fign-poit erudition, which may perhaps have afforded fome information that is new and interefting to many readers. At leaft it may fhew what a multitude of topics there are that have fcarcely been breathed upon, and how objects that feem of no importance are connected with other objects of real magnitude in the fyftem of life, and fupply fources of amufement, and matter for contemplation.

WATER is one of thofe fub

stances without which mankind cannot exist, yet every one knows that it is very apt to become putrid, and to contrat, in confequence of its being fo, qualities which render its ufe unfafe. This circumftance is particularly embarralfing in

fea voyages; and it deferves no lefs

confideration in thofe diftricts where the inhabitants are often obliged to make ufe of flagnant water, or of fuch as, from its hepatic tafle and fmell, is very difagreeable. It would be ufelefs here to enumerate the varicus diforders occafioned by the ufe of fuch

waters; but it is undoubtedly an object of great importance to make known the means by which the putrefaction of water may be prevented, and by which that water wherein putrefaction has already taken place, may be rendered perfectly fweet.

Having employed myfelf, during the courfe of laft year, in making a great number of experiments on the purifying powers of charcoal, I faw with great fatisfaction, that it poffeffed, among other properties, that of almost instantly depriving the moft putrid water of its bad fmell. From that circumflance, I immediately conceived an idea that it might have a very powerful effect in preventing water from becoming putrid, and the numerous trials I have fince made have convinced me that I was not deceived in my opinion.

Pure water, properly fo called, when deprived of all heterogeneous parts, is not fubject to become putrid; but it is very difficult to keep it long in a pure ftate, on account of its diffolving powers. To preferve water for a length of time in that ftate, it would be neceffary to keep it in veffels of glafs, or of earthen ware; but the brittleness of thefe veffels renders it impoffible to make ufe of very large ones, and we are therefore obliged to have recourfe to wooden veffels, which, though they are not fubject to be broken, like the others, have the great difadvantage of imparting to the water a great quantity of mucilaginous and extractive particles, which haften its putrefaction. It is well known that thefe particles, in a flate of divifion, furnish an innumerable quantity of living creatures, the almolt perpetual and uninterrupted deftruction and regeneration of which communicate to water that degree of corruption and putrefaction which renders its 'uie fo dangerous; it is not, therefore, from the water itself, but from the continual decompofition

of the fubftances diffolved in it, that its difpofition to putrefaction arises.

From what has been faid it evidently appears, that the first means of preferving from putrefaction water which we are obliged to keep in wooden veffels, or calks, confits in having thefe refervoirs perfectly clean. The fmalleft quantity of matter already corrupted being left in them acts as a real ferment, and very quickly dif poses the fresh water, with which thefe veffels are filled, to become putrid in the fame manner. For this reafon I advife, that the cafks, or other veffels, be well washed with hot water and fand, or with any other fubftance capable of removing the mu cilaginous particles; and afterward, that a certain quantity of powder of charcoal be employed, which will entirely deprive fuch cafks, &c. of the mufty or putrid fmell they may have contracted.

When water is preferved by having certain fubftances mixt with it, thefe fubftances act, either by their antiputrefcent powers, or by mechanically abforbing the putrified particles. Vitriolic acid poffefies the firft of these properties, and powder of charcoal fulfils the fecond intention, in a very triking manner.

To fatisfy myfelf that charcoal, when ufed alone, poffeffes the property of preferving water from corruption, I undertook, in the fummer of the year 1790, a courfe of experiments which completely fulfilled my hopes; but, at the fame time, I was convinced that the effect of the charcoal is rendered much more speedy by uting, along with it, fome vitriolic acid.

The following, according to the refult of my experiments, is the best proportion of charcoal powder, and vitriolic acid: viz. one ounce and a half of charcoal in powder, and twentyfour drops of concentrated vitriolic acid, (oil of vitriol) are fufficient to purify three pints and a half of

2

corrupted water, and do not communicate to it any fenfible acidity. This fmall quantity of vitriolic acid renders it unneceffary to use more than one third part, at molt, of the charcoal powder which would be wanted if the acid were not made ufe of; and the lefs of that powder is employed, the lefs is the quantity of water loft by the operation, which, in fea voyages, is an object worthy of confideration. In proportion to the quantity of acid made ufe of, the quantity of charcoal may be diminished or augmented; and it must be obferved, that all acids produce nearly the fame effects. Neutral falts alfo, particuJarly nitre and fea-falt, may be ufed for the purpose in queftion, but vitriolic acid certainly is preferable to any of thefe; water which is purified by means of this acid and charcoal will keep a longer time than that which is purified by charcoal alone.

The cleanness of the casks in which water is kept, in fea voyages, is an object which should never be neglected: I have already defcribed the best method of cleaning them, and of depriving them of any bad fmell; and it would not be amifs if that operation were repeated every time they are about to be filled with fresh water. I would advife that fix or eight pounds of powdered charcoal be used to each calk, (it is better to put too much than too little of this powder) and as much vitriolic acid as is fufficient to communicate to the water a degree of acidity hardly to be perceived. To hinder the charcoal from fettling at the bottom of the cak, in the form of a pafte, it will be proper to fir the whole together with a tick, at least twice every week; by this means the charcoal will be better difperfed through the whole mafs of water, and confequently will perform its office more completely.

Powder of charcoal and vitriolic acid are two antiputrefcent fubftances; the first prevents the water from acquiring that yellow colour which it ufually contracts by time, and the

acid particularly contributes to clarify the water, which the powder of charcoal, when employed alone, generally renders turbid. If we wish to make ufe of the water fo preferved, we fhould try it first, by paffing a fmall quantity of it through a ftrainer, in the form of a jelly-bag, filled with powder of charcoal; fuch a ftrainer or bag fhould always be in readiness, to be made ufe of for fuch trials.

When we mean to purify any given quantity of corrupted water, we fhould begin by adding to it as much powder of charcoal as is neceffary to deprive it entirely of its bad fmell. To afcertain whether that quantity of powdered charcoal was fufficient to effect the clarification of the faid water, a fmall quantity of it may be paffed through a linen bag, two or three inches long; if the water, thus filtered, still has a turbid appearance, a fresh quantity of powdered charcoal must be added, till it is become perfectly clear: the whole of the water may then be pafled through a filtering bag, the fize of which should be proportioned to the quantity of water.

If vitriolic acid, or any other, can be procured, a fmall quantity of it fhould be added to the water, before the charcoal powder is ufed; the quantity of acid must be regulated according to the ftate of putridity in which the water is; it thould be fuffcient to communicate to the water a degree of acidity jud perceptible to the tafte. If the water is intended merely for drefling meat and vegetables for the fhip's crew, intlead of the acid, fuch a quantity of fea falt as would have been proper for feafoning the above articles, may be employed. Saline fubitances, like acids, haften the effects of the charcoal powder; by making ufe of acids (as was before obferved) a much less quantity of powdered charcoal is necefiary; and, fo eafy is the process to any one a little accustomed to operations of this kind, that four or five minutes only are required to render feveral gal

lons of very putrid water fit to drink.

To improve the tafte of thofe fpring waters which have naturally an hepatic flavour, and are therefore unpleafant to make use of, nothing more is neceffary than to filter them through a bag half filled with powder of charcoal; if fuch waters are not very mach loaded with mucilaginous particles, the addition of an acid is not neceffary. With refpect to the best method of preparing the powder of charcoal, what I have faid on that fubject in Crell's Annals for the year 1788, pages 36 and 131, of the fecond volume, and in the first volume for the year 1791, pages 308, 398, and 494, may be confulted.

Powder of charcoal, when prepared according to the method described as above, is a very light substance, a circumftance which may perhaps appear embarraffing, on account of the room it will take up in a ship, supposing the quantity of it to be in proportion to the quantity of water taken on board. The following is the refult of my experiments refpecting the space required for flowing the charcoal.

Firft, four ounces and a half of powdered charcoal, a quantity which is fufficient to purify three pints and a half of water, when no acid is made ufe of, take up as much space as fixteen ounces of water; but, if this powder is ftrongly compreffed, it will take up only the fpace of nine ounces of water; confequently two cafks of powdered charcoal would be required to purify eleven casks of water.

Secondly, one ounce and a half of powdered charcoal is fufficient to purify three pints and a half of water, provided a fmall quantity of vitriolic acid, or fea-falt, is at the fame time made ufe of; one cafk of powdered charcoal, therefore, if tightly packed, is fufficient for seventeen calks of wa

ter.

In the last experiments I made on this fubject, I found that fix drachms of powdered charcoal were fufficient to deprive three pints of water of its

bad fmell, and to render it perfectly clear, provided, at the fame time, twenty-four drops of vitriolic acid were added; in this way, therefore, one calk of powdered charcoal would be fufficient to purify thirty-four casks of corrupted water. Thefe experi ments, however, must be confidered as liable to fome variation; for, in order to obtain effects equal to those I have related, the charcoal powder must be prepared with the greatest care; it inuft alfo be obferved, that though the above finall quantity was found fufficient to deprive the water entirely of its bad smell, and to render it very clear, a larger quantity will be required to deprive it of its bad

taste.

In order to fave the charcoal pow¬ der on board a fhip, as that is an ar ticle not eafily procured at fea, I advife, that the powder fhould not be thrown away after it has been once ufed; for, if it is afterward well dried, and again beat to powder, it will by that means acquire new furfaces, and will ferve, a fecond time, to purify a quantity of water almoft as great as that for which it was ufed the first time, Nay, charcoal powder which has been feveral times made use of, and has in confequence thereof entirely loft its purifying power, will immediately recover it by being made red hot in a close veffel; this operation is certainly a troublefome one on board a fhip, but it may, perhaps, in fome circum.tances, be rendered more, eafy. As on board all fhips there is a fire every day, economy requires that we fhould fave the charcoal of the wood which has been used; and, intlead of letting it burn to afhes, it fhould be diftinguished by water, or by any other means, and kept to be made ufe of when wanted.

The cinders of pitcoal, provided they are perfectly burnt, and reduced to powder, may ferve, in cafe of neceflity, for the purification of water; but, when this kind of coal is made ufe of, no acid of any kind must be added to the water, as the metallic

D

particles which pitcoal contains, even after it is thoroughly burnt, might, if acids were employed, communicate dangerous qualities to the water.

It is proper to observe here, that charcoal takes from the water a part of the acid which has been made use

Sir,

TH

of; if two drops of oil of vitriol are put into four ounces of water, the water will become fenfibly acid, but this acidity will immediately difappear, if a fmall quantity of powdered charcoal be added to the water.

HE advantages of retirement have been expatiated upon by many writers on moral topics, who very justly argue that it becomes a rational creature to devote fome time to meditation upon past actions, of which he is to give an account, and to prepare for leaving a world to which he is no more to return. All this is very easily comprehended, and the many other fine arguments in favour of retirement made a great impreffion upon me at one time. I hould have been very happy, indeed, to have confirmed them by my own experience, had it not been for one Fittle circumstance of confiderable moment in order to fettle the queftion, namely, that after a long trial I have found retirement impracticable.

In former days I was a tradefman in the city of London, and for many years carried on bufinefs with increafing profperity. I may fay, indeed, that every thing fucceeded which I undertook. While others around me were driven by diftrefs and difappointed speculations, by paper credit, and accommodation-bills, into the Gazette, I ftood firm, and, upon 'Change, was univerfally reported to be a good man. From this character, you are not to wonder if I very rapidly paffed into that of a warm man; and, in truth, having realized feveral thousand pounds, and advancing, at the fame time, toward the down-hill of life, I began to be captivated by the beautiful deferiptions prefented to me of the happiness of retirement. Having few relations to interfere with my inclinations, I met with no-ob

ftacles. I parted with my bufinefs, upon eafy terms, to two induftrious and faithful fervants, who had lived fome years with me, and deserved every return I could make; and having purchased a small freehold in the west of England, I bade an everlafting adieu to the buttle and noise, the fmoke and confufion, of a vast and overgrown metropolis.

It would be unneceffary to give you a particular defcription of my country refidence. Suffice it to fay, that it was fituated in a moft pleafant vale, and poffeffed all thofe advantages which are fo pompously, and often falfely, trumpeted forth by the auctioneers. Here I felt myfelf light as a bird that has efcaped the confinement of its cage. Here I expected. to enjoy the blissful tranfition from fociety to folitude, from care to ease, from vexation to tranquillity. But what are the hopes of man? I had not been here many weeks, before I difcovered that fomething very effential was wanting to fill up the meafure of my happinefs; fomething which I could neither beg, borrow, nor buy. In one word, I wanted fomething to do. In the midst of retirement, my mind ftruggled for employment, and dragged me back to thofe days when I knew not the mifery of a vacant hour, and when every hour brought with it its pleafing anxieties or profitable engagements. Here was no employment, no calls, no avocations. Here were no goods to look over and examine, no fales to attend, no cuftom-houfe bufinefs to be done, no attendance upon 'Change, no books