The discovery of the circulation of the blood in animals was soon followed by conjectures concerning the existence of a like circulation in the sap of vegetables. These conjectures gave rise to the first improvements in vegetable physiology, which may be dated from the appearance of a set of queries concerning the motion of the juices of plants, published in the Philosophical Transactions, anno 1668. These queries immediately engaged Dr Beale and Dr Tonge, and afterwards Dr Grew, Mr Willoughby, Mr Ray, and Dr Lister, to enter upon the subject; who, in a great variety of observations, struck out the first considerable discoveries in the vegetable œconomy.

I Did not return from the excursion on which I was when I had the pleasure to see you at Dundee till last Tuesday night. On my arrival, I found your letter respecting the phænomenon that lately happened in this neighbourhood. Although ill qualified to give you satisfaction upon this subject, I shall, however, comply with your desire, and give you the most accurate account of that phænomenon which I have been able to obtain.

The proofs of found judgment in the writings of Tacitus are extremely numerous. From the choice of his subjects, he appears to have been perfectly acquainted with the nature and the extent of his own powers. Though he was considerably advanced in life before he began to write history, yet the closeness of his application enabled him to unfold that wisdom which his experience had furnished. In spite of an ardent love of fame, he avoided the rock upon which most authors, split, and wisely forbore to solicit the attention of the public, till he could for certain command its respect.

Sir George Clerk-Maxwell of Pennycuik, Baronet, one of the Presidents of the Physical Class of this Society, was born at Edinburgh, on the last day of October 1715. He was the fourth son of Sir John Clerk of Pennycuik, one of the Barons of Exchequer in Scotland: His mother was a daughter of Sir James Inglis of Cramond.

His more early studies were carried on at the University of Edinburgh, under the eye of his father, who was himself a man of letters, and from whom he appears very early to have caught a strong taste for Natural History, Antiquities and the Theory of Commerce, particularly in so far as these branches of knowledge related to his own country. He afterwards went to Leyden, where he finished his studies under the immediate inspection of the celebrated Boerhaave, who had been the friend of his father; and, before his return home, he visited several parts of France and Germany.

It is reasonable to suppose, that the founders of the European states would, at least for some time after their conquests, retain much of their former political arrangements. The idea, therefore, which I have formed of their legislatures in their new situation may, in a great measure, be anticipated from the observations contained in the preceding part of this paper. At the same time, the change from the wilds of Germany to the cultivated provinces of the empire was very great: And it is necessary to survey, in general, the aspect which, on this event, the German governments might be expected to exhibit, in order, either to form an accurate conception of the general hypothesis I have adopted, or to perceive the propriety and application of those discussions which are intended for its support.

H—, thou return'st from Thames, whose Naiads long

Have seen thee ling'ring, with a fond delay,

Mid those soft friends, whose hearts, some future day,

Shall melt, perhaps, to hear thy tragic song.

Go, not unmindful of that cordial youth,

Whom, long endear'd, thou leav'st by Lavant's side;

Together let us wish him lasting truth,

And joy untainted with his destin'd bride.

Go! nor regardless, while these numbers boast

My short-liv'd bliss, forget my focial name;

But think far off how, on the southern coast,

I met thy friendship with an equal flame!

Fresh to that soil thou turn'st, whose ev'ry vale

Shall prompt the poet, and his song demand:

To thee thy copious subjects ne'er shall fail;

Thou need'st but take the pencil to thy hand,

And paint what all believe who own thy genial land.

When we trace the parts of which this terrestrial system is composed, and when we view the general connection of those several parts, the whole presents a machine of a peculiar construction by which it is adapted to a certain end. We perceive a fabric, erected in wisdom, to obtain a purpose worthy of the power that is apparent in the production of it.

The Binder is defired to observe that the Vol. confifts of Three Sets of Pages, to be arranged in the following order, immediately after the Table of Contents, viz. Part I. containing The History of the Society : Part II.containing, I Papers of the Physical Class; II. Papers of the Literary Class : And to place the two Plates, entitled Theory of the Earth, to front page 304. of Papers of the Phyfical Clafs, and the other Plates (which fold out) according to the references marked upon them.

Few literary exertions put the author's abilities to a severer test than the composition of history. The poet may create a subject for himself, or he may adopt one that is but imperfectly known. In the composition of an epic poem, he instructs and pleases by exhibiting such a train of actions as might have taken place, and, unless he violates probability, his invention may bid defiance to restraint. If his work be imperfect, he has himself to blame, as those very powers which give the form to his subject, gave it first its existence.

At a meeting of the Literary Class of the Royal Society, held on Monday 19th April 1784, the Reverend Dr Carlyle read an ode, written by the late Mr William Collins, and addressed to John Home, Esq; (author of Douglas, &c.) on his return to Scotland in 1749. The committee appointed to superintend the publication of the Society's Transactions, having judged this ode to be extremely deserving of a place in that collection, requested Mr Alex. Fraser Tytler, one of their number, to procure from Dr Carlyle every degree of information which he could give concerning it. This information, which forms a proper introduction to the poem itself, is contained in the two following letters.

By the introduction of letters into algebra, to denote all the quantities, both known and unknown, involved in an equation, this very important advantage was gained, that the final equation exhibited both a general rule for the solution of all similar problems, and also the limitations within which such problems were possible.

The fall of the feudal system was accomplished, in the principal states of Europe, at a period when the revival of learning had diffused in society a spirit of reflection, and communicated, to the better sort, some knowledge of the history of the Greek and Roman republics. As it was, in general, the kings who conducted the attack on the privileges of the feudal nobility, the principal part of the spoils had fallen naturally to their share. But the people were warlike, the nobles were still; animated with the pride of rank, of family, and of their ancient consequence, and men, in general, had begun to speculate on their rights, and were unaccustomed to perceive, with satisfaction, the whole powers of government centred in the crown.