the fhip. The angle with which the wheel prefents itfelf to the courfe of the water may be increased or diminished at pleafure, which furnishes means to regulate the inftrument to the true distance with great eafe. This wheel being regulated fo as to revolve about its axis twice in each rood, communicates motion to 6 fmall strong brafs wheels, the four last of which move in dexes round gradual circles, and at all times gives the fhip's diftance by infpection. The machine is preferved in a horizontal pofition by a fmall brafs plate, adjufted to the hind part by fcrews for that purpose. The 1ft wheel next to the forty has 96 teeth; the 2d has 36; the 3d, 4th, 5th, and 6th have 6 teeth each. The pinions have all fix leaves, except the firft, which has eight.

We are authorized in af firming to the public, that this marine machine is more competent to the material purposes of meafuring a fhip's distance at fea, than the common Log, or any other inftrument at prefent extant. Commodore BARRY, of the United States Frigate, has purchased one of the Perpetual Logs, and after various experiments has approved it in the warmest terms. We cannot terminate this article without obferving, that it is an invention, which does high honour to the inventor, Mr. GOULD, and the country which gave him birth ; and he will unquestionably be ranked with a FRANKLIN and a RITTENHOUSE, as dignifying America, their native foil, and benefiting all mankind.

DEAR ALWYN,

You know that foon after we

left the university of Leyden, my father died, and left me in poffeffion of an immenfe fortune. How to improve it to the beft advantage, was my first object. I concluded that the only way to enjoy life, was to realize it. For this purpofe, I determined to vifit the principal towns and cities of Europe, and refide awhile in thofe of the most eminence. Attended by a single fervant, I fet out for Hamburgh, and took lodgings in one of the most public ftreets of that city. Poffeffed, as you well know I was, of ardent and inflammable paffions, high notions of popular honour, and an exquifite fenfibility, it can be no

No. III.

fubject of admiration that I was

drawn into fcenes critical and interefting. Young, and recently transferred from the walls and fhackles of a literary prifon, to the walks of affluence and fplendor, can it be furprifing that I fhould be fo far blinded by the luftre of life, as to view objects in an unreal and deceptive light?

My titles, which, with my property, defcended to me from my father, introduced me to the first families and moft fashionable circles in Hamburgh. I understood moft of the living languages in Europe, confequently my acquaintance was not confined to my own nation. I foon wore off the ruft of a fedentary habit, and affimi

lated

lated my manners with my difpofition. And, as you well know, Alwyn, that my perfon was far from indifferent, I became a peculiar favorite of the ladies, and, of course, an envied rival to my compeer gallants. Thus ftimu lated, I gave the reins to my favorite paffion, and hurried through fcenes of diffipatious taste, until the Count Lewitzer was as famous for gallantry in the city of Hamburgh, as Baron Trenck for fortitude and firmness in the dungeons of Magdeburg.

I had taken an airing one day on horseback. On my return, being unacquainted with the roads, I loft my way. I ordered my fervant to ride up to a peafant's houfe, to obtain directions. He received information that we were in an unfrequented part of the country, fifteen miles from the city. It began to grow dufk, and a heavy shower was arifing. We fpurred on in the road they directed us, until we came into a bye-lane, which led into a deep valley, skirted on each fide by thick woods. Here the roughnefs of the way obliged us to flack our pace. The fhower had nearly overtaken us. As we defcended the declivity, we heard a carriage rattling down the oppofite hill, in full speed. As it paffed us, we discovered it (by the light of a flash of lightning) to be a phaeton, in which fat a gentleman, holding a lady in his arms. difcovered us, and struggling, called out in a voice of anguifh, "For Heaven's fake,Sir,relieve a diftreffed lady from impending wretchedness and mifery!" We inftantly turned, and foon came up with the carriage. My fervant stopped the horses, by feizing one of them

She

by the bridle. The gentleman immediately fired a piftol, which, being haftily aimed, killed his own poftillion, and wounded my fervant in the arm. The frightened horfes rufhed furiously forward, and the carriage was foon overturned with a terrible crafh. I sprang from my horse, and flew to the place. The gentleman had fled; but the lady lay buried in the ruins of the wreck. I raised her in my arms, not knowing whether he was living or dead. Shortly, a bursting figh convinced me of the former. Spare me !" fhe cries, in tremulous accents of deepest agony; "fpare me! If your breast contains one fentiment of mercy, ruin not an unhappy maiden, who never defigned you injury!" I defired her to be compofed; and told her she was free from danger, and should have every affiftance which was in my power to give. "Am I then fafe!" fhe feelingly replied, "may Heaven reward you with its richest boun. ties." As I perceived fhe was weak and faint, and had received confiderable injury in the fall, I did not think it fafe to prolong the converfation. With the affiftance of my fervant, who was but flightly wounded, I raised a fort of fhelter from the ftorm with the wreck of the phaeton, into which I removed the lady, and fent my fervant in fearch of affistance. took my feat befide her, fhe leaned upon my breaft. The fcene was grand, folemn and fublime. The rain poured in torrents; the wind howled through the foreft; the red lightning, momentarily, involved the world in fheeted flame, and pitchy darkness alternately fucceeded. The loud thunder pealed through the heavens, and

I

echoed

echoed and rebounded among the furrounding hills.

My fervant foon returned with a poft-chaife, and feveral armed peafants. He informed me, that he had found an inn, within about one mile, to which I immediately prepared to convey the lady. The peafants were difpatched to bury the poftillion, to fecure the horfes, and to gather up the fragments of the phaeton. We foon arrived at the inn, which was a fmall hut, by the road fide, containing only two rooms on a floor. We found, however, better entertainment than we expected. The lady was furnished with a change of clothes, which, though but indifferent, were yet exceedingly neceffary, as her own were very wet. A room and fire were provided, to which we retired; but the lady was fo much indifpofed, that the could take no refreshment. She defired to be excufed, and retired to bed.----And here, Alwyn, fuffer me to exprefs to you my feelings. Never before had I feen fo much beauty and fymmetrical perfection, as in this unfortunate fair. Her harmonizing voice, her expreffive eyes, and the unrivalled grace of all her actions, fported with my affections, and played around my heart, like the gentle gales of fummer, in a garden waving with the fplendeurs of fpring.

The next morning the peasants were alarmed, and fcoured the

adjoining forests, in search of the offender; but he was no where to be found. His horfes were taken up, grazing upon the commons, but no information could· be obtained concerning the owner. I arofe early, and learned from the mistress of the house, that the lady had been much diftreffed through the night. I visited her, and found her in a high fever and flight delirium. She had discharged a quantity of blood from the mouth, and experienced frequent faintings, I immediately fent for a phyfician, who pronounced her in a dangerous fituation, as fhe had been much bruised by the fall, in confequence of which a blood veffel had broken in her lungs. For four days, her life was defpaired of; but on the fifth, more favourable fymptoms appeared. Reafon refumed her throne; but fhe was too weak to enter into difcourfe; confequently, nothing could be difcovered, with respect to unravelling this mysterious affair, or of the lady's own hiftory. Thefe muft be the fubject of my next letter.

The hoarfe nocturnal wind! whiftles lonely round my cell. The voice of the folemn owl founds terrific in the furrounding forefts. The genius of my latter days fummons me to my midnight orifons, and engages to infpire my dreams with pleafing fcenes of former days.

J. K. C.