Watermelon Sirup.—Those of our readers who may not be acquainted with the fact, but yet are friendly to domestic economy, are informed, that one gallon of watermelon-juice will, by boiling, afford one pint of pure sirup, preferable either to honey or molasses, for domestic or medical purposes. The trial is easily made, and the expense trifling.
Patent Churn.—A churn has been invented by a young man in Vermont, which answers every purpose with a very trifling labour. It stands perpendicularly, and is perfectly tight.—The operation is performed by a person sitting near the churn and working the machine by each hand, as you work a pump. The dasher is turned by means of two leather straps, which are fastened at one end of the upright cylinder, and passing each once round it in opposite directions, are fastened at the other end of the handle on each side of the upright. So that the stroke with one hand turns the dasher once round, and that with the other turns it back.
Socrates.—One day when Alcibiades was boasting of his wealth and the great estates in his possession, (which generally blow up the pride of young people of quality,) Socrates carried him to a geographical map, and asked him to find Attica. It was so small, it could scarcely be discerned upon the draft; he found it, however, though with some difficulty. But, upon being desired to point out his own estate there—"It is too small," says he, "to be distinguished in so little a space."
"See then," replied Socrates, "how much you are affected about an imperceptible point of the earth."
Georgetown, (Ky.) August 3.—A white crow was lately shot by Col. Rhodes Thompson, at his residence, on Elkhorn, about two and a half miles from this town. It was examined by several scientific gentlemen, and pronounced to be of the crow species; it resembled the common black crow in every thing but its colour, which was of a dingy white.—Col. Thompson had observed it for some time among a flock of black crows, and had ascertained its note to be the same as theirs.
Scotch Adventurers.—The character which the Scotch have acquired, beyond almost any other people, for the art of pushing their fortune abroad, was never perhaps more singularly illustrated than by the following anecdote, which Dr. Anderson relates in his "Bee," on the authority of a baronet of scientific eminence.
The Russians and Turks, in the war of 1739, having diverted themselves long enough in the contest, agreed to treat for peace. The commisioners, for this purpose, were marshal Gen. Keith, on the part of Russia, and the grand vizier on that of the Turks. These personages met, and carried on their negotiations by means of interpreters. When all was concluded, they rose to separate: the marshal made his bow, with his hat in his hand, and the vizier his salam, with his turban on his head. But when these ceremonies of taking leave were over, the vizier turned suddenly, and coming up to marshal Keith, took him cordially by the hand, and in the broadest Scotch dialect, declared warmly that it made him "unco happy to meet a countryman in his exalted station." Keith started with astonishment, eager for an explanation of the mystery, when the vizier added, "Dinna be surprised, mon, I'm o' the same country wi' yoursel'. I mind weel seeing you and your brother, when boys, passin by to the school at Kirkaldy; my father, Sir, was bellman of Kirkaldy." What more extraordinary can be imagined, than to behold in the plenipotentiaries of two mighty nations, two foreign adventurers, natives of the same mountainous territory; nay, of the very same village!—What indeed more extraordinary, unless it be the spectacle of a Scotchman turned Turk for the sake of honours, held on the tenure of a caprice from which even Scotch prudence can be no guarantee!
Garrick.—Mr. Twiss, a romancing traveller, was talking of a church he had seen in Spain which was a mile and a half long. "Bless me, (cried Garrick,) how broad was it?" "About ten yards," said Twiss. "This is, you'll observe, gentlemen, (said Garrick to the company,) not a round lie, but differs from his other stories, which are generally as broad as they are long."
Franklin Donation Fund.—The trustees of the fund established by Dr. Franklin, for the benefit of young married mechanics, in Boston, give notice, that they will make loans, in sums not exceeding 200 dollars to one individual, on the terms prescribed by Dr. Franklin, viz.