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LEARNED SOCIETIES.

(From the Literary Gazette. )

ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE.-The Royal Society of Literature is rapidly growing to that maturity and vigour which its early supporters anticipated, and its friends desired. The list of Fellows now published, and to which numerous and distinguished additions are continually being made, contains above a hundred and fifty names ot

persons, many of them of the highest rank in the! kingdom, and of the highest eminence for science*1

and learning.

The ten Royal Associate»,.it is reported, will be appointed before the 25th of March, the majority having already been elected, and the remaining minority being put in the course of nomination. In this important matter, as in all the other pro- ceedings of the Society, the absence of every po- litical and party feeling is honorably apparent; and among the individuals chosen to present to His Majesty, for Royal patronage, we observe lite- rary men of almost every persuasion and mode of thinking on the great subjects which divide the opinions of mankind. The only considerations in making the election seem to have been fitness of circumstance, irreproachability of moral charac- ter, and the possession of publicly appreciated talent. When the number is completed, which it no doubt will be in the same spirit of impartiality and liberal principle, we trust to be able to lay the whole results before our readers : in the mean*

time we resume our1 notices of the ordinary Meet'

inga of the Society.

On Wednesday evening, January 21st, a paper» communicated by Mr. Bowdler, on the 'Madnfs» of Hamlet, was read. - It treated the question ii* dramatic, rather.¿han in ä philosophical wayo and from quotations and comparison» -furnia

toy the play itself; very ingcniowsly argued, that the insanity of .the Prince of Denmark was entirely , counterfeited. Many passage* were adduced, ' turd the who!« line of his conduct was reviewed

in support of this'theory, which certainly dis« 'played much acuteness and observation : but still "'weare not convinced. Our notion i« (and it would

reconcile all differences ) that Hamlet's reason is (ju4 »ufncently alienated by the dread apparition of hi- murdered father, ami its terrible injunction on bim to execute vengeance, to leave, himsense enough to pursue that ohjtct, but so far to dis- order his mind as to render the affectation of a

deeper malady natural and consistent. This we often see in life ;-a man touched slightly hy wine readily puts on the appearance of entire intoxication, but steadily advances whatever pur- pose be has on bond; and the merely fatuous slides with the utmost facility into the raging madman. But it is impossible to uniie judgments upon this point, where so much can be alleged on

ail sides.

On Wednesday, February 4th, a very interest- ing communication wa» read; viz. Observations «t» th»; River Euphrates, by Sir William Ousely. ThU brief paper must have been the work of much studious luho\ir, as well as active enquiry. To trace the " Mighty Euphrates1' historically, and geographically from its sonrce in Armenia to its mouth in the Persian Gulf, was a ta-k which few writers were competent to accomplish. We are sorry We can only give a rough outline of Sir Wil- liam's excellent Memoir, derived, as it appears to have been, from extensive reading, both of Eu- ropean and Asiatic modern and ancient authori- ties, and personal observation : connected with the last mentioned qualification, the details were peculiarly attractive. In journeying from Persia to Constantinople through Armenia, Sir W. O. stopped on the Euphrates at Satan's Valley (so called from abounding in scorpions and novious creatures), a spot of verdure and beauty ! Here be swam across the river, and found it to be from three to six feet in depth, broad, winding, and rapid, over a stony and rugged bed.* During his travel along Us channel, especially during the last 'twenty, or seventy, miles, he remarked that ii flowed between steep rocky banks, finely clothed with wood, and displaying such wilow trees as are described in that melancholy strain of the Hebrew captivity, where they paint their gi iefs in suspending their harps, and weeping while ibey thought on Jerusalem. In its course the river utters a loud and hollow noise ; the effect of which is increased by the silence prevailing

around.

The Euphrates was styled "great" by ancient authors, and also emphatically, " The Hiver" (Hebrew Book of Joshua-Greek Apocalypse of St. John, Lucan, &c) ; and severol of it« appella- tions sirve to mark it as consisting of several st rea mi, and to have been cut into artificial canals. The etymology of the word Euphrates is un- known-especially of the prefix Eu. Probably the root is the Hebiew Erst or Perath.f by some derived from Farrah, to be, or lo render fruitful. This, however, seems fanciful.

Sir W Ouseley took admirable means to eluci- date his subject : be directed his inquiry towards the source of the river in Armenia, and endea- voured to ascertain what name it had borne and

continued to bear in thal region. The highest period at which he could arrive was the fifth cen- tury, when Moses of Chorene, in his history of Armenia, calls it Ephrat or Efrat ; very slightly differing from the Greek. At \he present day, many Armenians and Turks upon its banks, pro- nounce it as written in Arabic, Flat or Forât, sometime« softened into Fo¡ád, and sometimes with the first letter changed into a ming'e'l sound of M and V. To this corrupt and curious pronun- ciation may, perhaps, be ascribed the name of Motà 1, bestowed by some modern geographers on a second branch, though Ptolemy has not distin- guished one branch from the other by any parti-

cular name.

The concluding portion of the Essay, excited much attention, and charmed both by its eru- dition and condensed information on a subject of universal interest -the site of the terrestrial para- dise, of which the four rivers were, the Pison, Guion, Hiddekel, and Phrat/t, of Moses. There are a multitude of hypotheses on this point, of

which we instance, a few :

lit. The garden of Eden existed between thai place where the Euphrates and Tigris unite their streams, and the spot where now stands the city of B»srali._[Huet, Bishop of Avranches; Dr. Wells; &c. &c]

ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY.-Friday, the 13th instant (February), being the fourth Anniversary «>f the Astronomical Society of London, a numerous meeting of its Members,took place at their rooms in Lincoln's-1 nu Fields, when the Chairman (Mr. Cnlebrooke) proceeded to distribute the honorary rcwaids of the Society, viz. the Society's Gold Medal to Chas. Babbage, F.sq F.R.S. as awoken of lhe high estimation in which it holds its valuable invention of an Engine forcalculaling Mathematical and Astronomical Tables, being the first Medal awarded bj the Society.

A similar Gold Medal to Professor Encke, of Seeberg in Gotha, for his investigations relative to the Comet which bears his name, and which led to the re-discovery of it in 1822. The Silver Medal of the Society to M. Karl Rumker, for the re- discovery of Encke's Comet, in consequences of the above investigations. And a similar Silver Medal to M. Pons, of Paris, for the discovery of two Comets on the 31st May and 13th July 1822, and for his indefatigable assiduity in that depart- ment of Astronomy.

The Chairman prefaced the presentation of each

medal by a most eloquent, learned, and interesting address of considerable length, all of which were delivered in the most impressive manner. They were replete with information on the successive improvements on machinery for assisting calcula- tion, as well as on Cometarv Astronomy ; and we are happy to find, in consequence of a motion made by Davies Gilbert, Esq. M. P. and seconded by John Fuller, Esq. that he condescendingly con- sented to their publication. The Council and Officers for the ensuing year were Ihen chosen.; after which the Society adjourned lo a social and

elegant dinner al Freemason«' Tavern.

President-Henrv Thomas Colcbrooke, E*q. F.R S. L an I E ami L.S.

Vice Presidents. --Charles Babbage, Esq. M.A F.R.S. L and E.-Francis Baily. E*q F.R.S. and L S-Sir Benjamin Hobhouse, Bart. F.ti.S.-The Richi Hon. George Earl of Macclesfield, F.R.S.

Treasurer.--Rev. William Pearson, L L.D.F.R.S. Secretaries -Olinthus G.Gregory, L.LI) Prof. Math. Roy. Mil. Acad. Woolwich.-John Milling- ton, Esq F.L.S. Prof. Mech. Phil. Roy. lust. Foreign Secretary.-i.V. W.Herschel, Esq. M.A.

F.R.S. L. and E.

Council.-- Major Thomas Colbv. Roy. Eng. L.L.D. F.R.S. L. and E-George Dolland, Esq. F.R.S -Bryan Donkin, Esq.-Captain John Franklin, R N. F R.S.-Davies Gilbert, E«q. M.P. V.P.R.S.-Benjamin Gnmperlz, Esq F.R.S. Stephen Groombridge, Esq, F.R.S - Daniel Moore, Esq. F.R.S L. and E and F.L.S.

FtNE ARTS.-ROYAL ACADEMY. .- Jeffrey Wyatt and George Jouet, Esquire», were on the 10th of February elected Royal Academicians, iii the room of the late Mr. Nollekens and Sir H. Raeburn. - '?? ? ?

RECOVERKU MANUSCRIPT.-Milton's newly discovered Work, which we were the first to an- nounce to the literary world, ha*, as might be ex- pected, created no small sensation among the learned. In a very short time we hope to lay be-

fore our readers more deluded inform lion on this subject than has yet been conrnunicaicd. We perhaps were remi-s in not mentioning before, the name of the gentleman who had the good fortune to discover it: Mr Lemon, of the State Paper Oiric»1, wlio<e labours it has weil been sa:d by a contemporary, have laid under no small obligation " all lovers of the history ami antiquités of their country," and who on ibis, as on many former oc- casions, has found his rrseaiches t-rouned willi suc- cess, winch the most sanguine could not have anti- cipated. We stated, when we firs! announced Ihe finding, that the situation held by Milton, of Lutin secretary to Cromwell, mighl account for the dis- covery of this manuscript in the State Paper Office.

Bul we understand ¡I is accounted fur in a different

manner by Mr. Lemon, who is certainly th« bett judge in a case like tint, and we have' heard a vei v different solution of the riddle, which, however, we shall not make public lill after further inqnir\. It has long been known that some of Milton's la- bours had been lost to the world.

Dr. Symmou's edition of Milton's Prose Woiks (1800), vol. vii. p. 500, in a note, aftpr mentioning Milton's death on the U:h Nov. 1671, tells us, " An Answer to a Libel on himself, and a System of Theology, called, according to W>od, . M«-a Theologian' are compositions of Milton's which

have bein lost. The lad was at one time in the

hands of Cyriac Skinner, but what became of it afterwards has not been traced.

The Academy of the Fine Arts at Paris has lately elected Ihe six following foreign associates, viz Messrs. Alvaiès, sculptor; Lunghi, engraver; Rossini, musical composer: Schinckel, architect ; Thoiwaldsen, sculptor; and Ziugarelli, musical

composer.

lu the last extraordinary sitting of the French Academy, several new works were presented to it ; among others the Exal è, by M. Picard, oue of the members of Ihe Academy. M. Jony af'eruanls read a comedy in five acts, in verse, called, " Le Mours du Temps," which has lately been accepted at the Theatre Français.

The Theatre at Cremona was burnt down on the 16; h of January.

TAe Melodien* Firescreen.-Among Ihe little presents which were interchanged among; friends in Paris during the last Christmas holidays, the Melodious Firescreen has been a great favourite Every one of these screens is a lillie repository, consisting of a number of musical pieces, which present themselves to you in succession as you si) by your tire-side. Music has furnished Ihe idea of another toy of a similar character, called ihe Grotesque Musicians: It consists of a collection of moving figures, representing musical amateurs, and admirably caricatures all their airs and ges-

tures.

Mr. Mawe has receuf ly returned from a geologi- cal tour in.Italy. We understand his attention has been directed to the soil on which the finest grapes were grown, willi a view of amélioraiing ihe culti- vation and flavour ofthat delicious fruit in our hot- houses.

* Lower down towards Babylon and the Plain of Shimaar it deposits a deep alluvial soil, and its

bottom ic mud and slime.

f The famous Persian poet, Firdausi, in his ^l'áluámch, where he relates the history of Queen Humai, calls it "áb i Foi at .*" this was nearly 800 yms ago. By-the-bye. this history strongly re 'ipinbles ti.at of Moses. Queen Humai, the mother of Darab, and grandmother of the Darius van- quished by Alexander, to avoid a prophecy, that her son would deprive her .of her crown, caused the child to he pul into a wooden box, or ark, with tine linen, gold and jewels, and, while he slept, her servants (Firdausi relates), " took away the aik at midnight, not one of Ihem opening his lips to the other,-they took it hastily from the pre- sence of Humai, and cast it into the river Eu- phrates.- abiFtrat."

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