Part 1

THE

RURAL MAGAZINE,

AND

LITERARY

_EVENING FIRE-SIDE_.

PHILADELPHIA: PUBLISHED BY RICHARDS & CALEB JOHNSON, _No._ 31, _Market Street_. 1820

INDEX.

ADDRESS, preliminary 1 ---- Tilghman's to the Philadelphia Agricultural Society 104

Adams, John, original letter from 50

Agriculture, treatise on 13, 54, 90, 129, 165, 211

Arabian horse, account of 31

Ants of Valencia 115

Agricultural education 100

Antediluvian oak 148

Antique nugea ib.

Anecdote 149 ---- ib.

Air jacket ib.

Africa 154

Agriculture, essay on 169 ---- letters on 332, 370

Agricultural memoranda 172, 227, 317, 380

Appraisement act 182

Agricultural discourse 267

Almanacks, origin of 276

American ginseng 380 ---- saltpetre 397

Anecdote of Lycurgus ib.

Agriculture, honour paid to, in China 407

Agricultural school at Hofwyl 205 ---- hints 292

Abstracts from Philadelphia Agricultural Society's memoirs 293

Absence of mind 429

American plants and minerals 172

Anecdote 432, 315

African people, the 325

Ants, natural history of 448 ---- wars of 458

Advice and Caution 475

Antidotes to poison, vegetable 474

Anecdote 472

Boerhaave, notice of 78

Barrett, Starr, decease of 116

Backster, George, decease of ib.

Botany bay, a view of 141

Bear, sagacity of 147

Boring, legalized 152

Breweries, London 154

Brewing, family machine 248

Benezet, Anthony, anecdote of 273

Bulls, Irish 278

Boots without seams ib.

Bones, &c. as manure 216

Bank note exchange 280, 240, 320, 360, 400, 440

Benevolence 394

Books, on 234

Bees, attack by 422

Banks, Sir Joseph 427

Boon, colonel, death of 472

Botany, curious fact in 475

Cotton, rice, tobacco, sugar, wine, statistical account of 23

Coffee plant 27

Cow tree 29

Cattle, Herefordshire, breed of 35

Cowley, Robert, decease of 117

Congress, list of members of 39

Cottage Society, account of 36

Chestnut wood, for dyeing 115

Cobb, Christopher, decease of 117

Cattle, mill feed for 127

Cow, singular account of one 147

Coaches 148

Charity, ladies ib.

Chimnies ib.

Catwg, wisdom of ib.

Combustion, spontaneous 151

Cold, severe 153

Cotton, exportation of, from New Orleans ib.

Cameronians, account of the 185

Comfortable discovery 196

Cambricks, flax for 380

Characters, weight of great 394

Cave, Weir's in Virginia 396

Camels 398

Corn pounder, Lincoln 220

Caterpillars 172, 223

Curious phenomenon 231

Cattle, valuable breed of 295

Chester Agricultural Society 306

Cider, on making 339

Cabbages for cattle 340

Culinary poisons, letter on, &c. 348

Correspondents, notice to 120, 160

Carpets, cheap and elegant 453

Cement, Turkey 473

Chemistry applied to industrious economy 475

Corrosive sublimate, gluten an antidote for 471

Council Bluffs 473

Christians, new sect of 474

Desultory Remarker, 45, 81, 121, 161, 201, 244, 283, 321, 361, 401, 441

Domestic economist noticed 78

Deaths, list of, in the principal cities of the United States 117

Deaf and dumb marriage 197

Delametaire, Etienne, death of 236

Death, instance of premonition of 290

Diving bell 120

Domestic manufactures, premiums for 174

Drink, parallel of enjoyment and suffering, 314

Diamond, the 461

Drought 474

Druids 477

Dreaming ib.

Disputants 476

Education, agricultural 100

Ellery, William, decease of 116

Economy of Nature 150

Ephraim, my neighbour 262

Education 382

Ellery, Mr. account of 75, 232

Earth, the productions of the 328

Europe, statistics of 352

Edgeworth, Richard L. esq. memoirs of 412

Excursion from Edinburgh to Dublin 444

Economical bread, receipt for making 465

Fig tree, American 28

Fire places, improvement in 37

Franklin, Dr. original letter of 44

Fry, Mrs. account of 126

Flax, on dressing 170

Franklin, Dr. anecdotes of 179

Fulton, Robert, steam-ship 192

Family brewing machine 248

Foreign tongue, the English a 274

Franklin's, Judge, address 366

Farmers, hint to 380

Flemish husbandry 219, 303

Fruit trees, on the oiling of 222

Fruit garden 226

Fruit trees, method of forcing 228

Firmity and Hominy 291

Farmers, encouragement for, on poor land 332

Fuel, economy in 339

French women, 352

Forest trees, on the culture of 223

Fiction, works of 231

Flax for cambricks 280

Fata Morgana 451

Flowers in Holland 453

Food, cheap 457

Fox, Charles J. character of 467

Gas lights 151

Green crops, manures of 168

Glass, method of rendering it less brittle, 195

Grape vine, native 247

Gossip, view of a 262

Glass making, introduction of into France 273

Gimcrackery, on 326

Garrick, anecdote of 355

Ginger 457

Governors, mode of electing 477

Gil Blas and Don Quixote 476

Gourd, Jonah's 465

Grape vine, on the 69, 101

Horses, disease among 30 ---- wild, of the west 31 ---- cheap food for, &c. 246 ---- cure for foundered 227

History, on the study of 49

Holkham sheep shearing 379

Honey, on taking, without destroying the bees 224

Historical sketches 229

Horse, the Arabian 31

Hams, to cure, Westphalia fashion 172

Hartford fair 431

Horse, running 470

Jewish emigrants 76

"Is it peace, Jehu?" 88

Indian jurisprudence 116

Jones, David, decease of 116

Intemperance, expose of the causes of 133

Iron boat 277

Indian corn, its good and bad culture 364

Internal wealth 397

Indian corn, new method of preserving 228

Ice, power of 235

Ivory paper 474

Indian, double-jointed 473

King, the, death of, &c. 145

Letters of a citizen, to his friends in the country 5, 47, 89

Letter to the editors 3 ---- from an Englishman in this country, to his friends at home 11, 51 ---- original, from John Adams 50 ---- ---- from Dr. Franklin 44 ---- On Mrs. Fry's proceedings in Glasgow 126

Light, without heat, or combustion 36

Libraries, public, of Germany 80

Law case 113, 231

Longitude (new theory of) 115

Lane, Thomas, decease of 116

Library, apprentices' 146

London 151

Lapland 152

Leeches 153

Lybia 154

Longevity, extraordinary 155

Law suit 184

Lord Thurlow 277

Locust tree, the 412

Lincoln corn pounder 220

Lycurgus, anecdote of 308

Law work, new 476

Ladies, learned ib.

Lands, public 468

Moral plough boy 15, 59

Mummies 79

Miscellany 75, 115, 145, 193, 223, 274, 314, 354, 394, 433, 471

Modes of salutation 115

Mill feed for cattle 127

Mine, silver 150

Missouri, boundaries of 152

Maple Sugar, on the culture of the 164, 218

Manufactures, domestic, premiums for 174

Manner, on the importance of 177

Mortgage act 184

Maine 275

Modern inventions 278

Madeira, island of 387

Missouri, staples of 418

Marivaux 230

Microscope, beauties of the 345

Martial glory 233

Marriages, list of 155, 197

Mammoth cave in Kentucky, account of 464

Nicholson's prize essay 17, 62, 93

Natural curiosity 386

Niagara falls, route to 289

Needle, variation of the 351

Natural history, curious facts in 428

Nunneries in Rome, visit to two 454

Narrow resources, advantages of 462

Otto, Joseph, decease of 117

Oil spring 145

Oil stones 276

Oxen, on the use of, &c. 309

Oranges 227

O'Groat's, John house 430

Oil, cotton seed 470

Political Economics 26

Peruvian bark, singular effect of 29

Pumpkin seed, oil of 30

Pleasure, on the pursuit of 43

Phenomenon! 147

Paint, a newly discovered 149

Potatoes, seed 151

Portugal 153

Poultry houses, method of preserving from vermin 155

Peaches, to dry 173

Plum trees, canker on 174

Poultry 196

Pickle, Frederick, decease of 197

Pennsylvania hospital 276

Prices current 239, 280, 320, 360, 400, 440

Parmesan cheese dairy 376

Punctuality 384

Prompter, the 391, 417, 466

Plaster, remarks on 223

Pear tree, on the 226

Potatoes, young, in the winter 227

Peaches, to preserve from frost 227

People, the African 325

Pompeia, present state of 341

Potatoes 338

Pyroligneous acid, antisceptic power of 456

Population in America, increase of 474

Ruth, story of 125

Ralp, Elizabeth, decease of 116

Russia, 153

Republican manners 175

Rain gauge, state of, at Philadelphia 197, 239, 280, 320, 360, 400, 440, 479

Rhode Island 275

Rivers, machine for crossing 277

Rain, cattle scenting 278

Rice, wild 377

Rags, conversion of, into sugar 224

Ruta Baga, experiments 225

Rural Magazine, a friend of, to its readers 281

Riddle, Baron Smyth's 476

Raindeer 475

Slavery, extension of 6

Sugarcane 27

Savannah, fire in 76

Straw bonnets 80

Seeds (from the plough boy's cottage) 85

Starch, to make 115

Staughton, Don Juan, decease of 116

Sweden, latitude of, trees in 150

Spider, anecdote of ib.

Snow, red 152

Smokers, hint to 155

Shoes, wooden scaled 175

Sentiments of an old soldier 179

Shepherd's dog 190

Snow Storm, the 253

Seeds, on 378

Salt, remarks on, as a manure 411

Speech, natural to man 419

Strawberry, improved method of cultivating 222

Spanish inquisition 232

Sullivan, O. Theodore, death of 236

Sugar, domestic, on the increase of, in the United States 330

Steam coach, 419

Subscribers, address to 240, 281 ----, notice to 480

Scottish adventurers 355

Salt mines of Meurthe in France 357

Stone Floors, &c. 421

Sounds, increase of, during night 476

Silk, domestic sewing 476

Seduction 472

Thermometer, state of, at Philadelphia, 40, 240, 280, 319, 360, 400, 440, 479

Trees, new method of inoculating 173

Turkeys, cheap food for 272

Tortoise, land 276

Turkmans, the 383

Turks, account of the 392

Trees, to prevent decay in 223

Turnips, on the culture of 308

Thrift, lessons on 344

Transplanting wheat, on 434

Travels, Burckhardt's 469

Tooth, drawing the wrong 475

United States, congress of the 471 ---- ---- square miles of the 474

Vine dressing, near Vevay 25

Village teacher, 41, 83, 123, 163, 203, 241, 286, 322, 403, 443

Vine grape 173

Variety 363

Vineyards at Vevay 295

Watt, James, Life of 32

Whale fisheries 36

Wool, imports of, into England, 74

Wolf bounty 78

Water, preservation of, at sea 116

Writing, legible 150

Webb, Margaret, decease of 156

Wayne, William, decease of ib.

Winchell, J. M. decease of ib.

Whimsical conflict, 184

West, Benjamin, death of 232

Whale, surprising vigour of a 310

Wild horses and asses, 313

Workmanship, premiums for 313

Waste of life 343

Wooden soaled shoes 175

Whale, Spitzbergen, zoology of the 423

Wonders of nature 452

Wirt, extracts from 461

Whale fishery, Nantucket 470

Wheat, cutting, before it is ripe 472

Yeast, receipt to make 278

POETRY.

The aspen tree 118

Song of gratitude ib.

The hamlet ib.

Verses written after seeing Windsor castle 119

Finland song ib.

Quiet mind ib.

Moonlight and calm at sea 120

Go, idle lays! ib.

The graves of my fathers 157

Auld age ib.

Dreadful hard times 158

Winter 159

To ---- ib.

Versification from the book of Ruth ib.

The peasant and his wife 160

Agriculture ib.

Time 198

Winter evening's amusement for Jane and me ib.

Youth and old age ib.

Cure for trouble ib.

Lines inscribed to M. Wiltshire ib.

On intemperance ib.

Hope ib.

To my wife 200

The Icelander's song ib.

To the snow drop ib.

The soldier's adieu 279

Evening ib.

On the return of the new year ib.

The fox and the cat 399

Stanzas, from Barton's poems ib.

Memory ib.

The deaf and dumb boy 237

On man's dependance on his creator ib.

Ode to imagination 238

An invocation to poverty 239

Glory to God ib.

Prayer and praise to God ib.

Hymn to resignation 318

The beau and the bedlamite ib.

Silent worship 319

Paddy M'Shane ib.

The braes of Yarrow 358

The ivy ib.

To a country girl 359

On prayer ib.

On the duke of Bridgewater 438

On the kitten ib.

An autumnal tale 439

The Cherokee's grave 478

Hope ib.

Angler ib.

The mother's lament 479

Church Fellowship, ib.

THE

RURAL MAGAZINE,

AND

LITERARY EVENING FIRE-SIDE.

VOL. I. PHILADELPHIA, _First Month_, 1820. _No._ 1.

It is not without feelings of anxiety that the editors of the RURAL MAGAZINE issue forth their first number to the public; for they are aware of the lasting effect of a first impression, and that they have now fairly embarked in an adventure, the success and the termination of which are alike uncertain. Diffident however as they are of their own abilities, they have full confidence in the excellence of their plan, and the kindness and assistance of their friends. Of the value of this assistance, the work itself will testify; of the plan which they have marked out, it is but fair that the reader should be informed.

A leading object of the _Rural Magazine_ will be to furnish correct views of the science of Agriculture, and the various improvements which are daily made or suggested in it. For this purpose the best and most recent European works on the subject will be consulted, and selections made from the American newspapers that are devoted or friendly to the cause. The best information on the subject will thus be condensed in a form less unwieldy than a newspaper, and more popular than in scientific books. We also expect original papers from our agricultural friends, being confident that there is much in the farming of our neighbouring counties, well worthy of being widely known and imitated.

Yet, as we wish our Magazine to have an extensive circulation, and to be interesting not merely to the farmer, but to the citizen and the general reader, a considerable part of every number will be occupied with topics of general literature, selections from approved new publications, particularly Biography and Travels, Essays, and information on scientific subjects; and original miscellaneous communications. To original and well written essays, our pages will always be accessible; and we particularly solicit such as will throw light on the history, antiquities, geography, curiosities, and productions of our own country. With the genuine productions of the Muse we shall always be glad to adorn our pages; but we have no desire to patronize the unfledged attempts at versifying, the lamentable ditties with which the public is weekly besieged, for we hold that in poetry there is no tolerable medium.

But to an American and a philanthropist, there are still higher objects to be gained by the circulation of such a paper, than the mere diffusion of agricultural intelligence or general literature. He lives under a system of government which is ideally perfect; and he sees it distorted by the vices and the passions of its subjects. He is the disciple of a religion which breathes good-will to mankind; and on whichsoever side he turns, are to be seen oppression, the darkness of ignorance, self-inflicted wretchedness, and amalgamating corruption. He sees a large portion of the human family held in chains by the very nation that has pronounced all men to be free and equal. The condition of that unhappy race, even when emancipated, excites his deepest commiseration and most anxious fears. He sees the aborigines of our country, a noble race of men, perishing like the beasts of the forest before our approach; and that under every circumstance of wretchedness and degeneracy.--Above all, the great and fatal delusion of war, more bloody than the superstitions of Moloch, still overspreads the world, and renders man the destroyer of man.

To all these subjects will the _Rural Magazine_ be watchful and alive; for the editors believe them to be subjects of the deepest interest, and having relation to our highest duties. He who tills his field, or pursues his occupation with diligence and skill, is a deserving and honourable citizen. He who, in addition to this, cultivates his mind, and stores it with useful and ornamental knowledge, raises himself in the scale of being, and adds to his capacities both for happiness and usefulness. But when he adds to this industry, and to these talents and accomplishments, the benevolence of a Christian philanthropist, and renders them subservient to the welfare of his species, he attains to the highest dignity of his nature, and fulfils all the obligations which devolve on him as a citizen and a man.

Such are the general outlines of our plan; and as we feel no local or political prejudices, they shall never have place in the discussion of any subject which may appear in our columns. Combining in this manner an agricultural, a literary, and philanthropic journal, we look with confidence to the support of our enlightened fellow citizens; and assure them, that no exertions on our part shall be wanting to fill up the measure which we have meted out, and render the _Rural Magazine_ deserving of their patronage.

FOR THE RURAL MAGAZINE.

_To the Editors._

You are about embarking in a literary voyage, calculated, if ably and prudently conducted, to subserve the best interests of society. Previously, however, to your taking a final leave of terra firma, and before its shores shall recede from your view, it may be the part of wisdom to contemplate the nature and object of your journey, by the steady lights of experience. The legitimate end of every enterprise of the kind, is to enlighten the understanding, and improve the heart. To produce a result so important, no exertion should be omitted, and no means neglected, to impart a useful interest to your miscellany. Of the truth of these preliminary observations, you are no doubt sufficiently impressed. To please every taste, however fastidious, or to gratify in all respects, the wishes of the million, would be a task altogether hopeless; and which a temperament the most sanguine, would scarcely indulge. However transcendent may be the merit of any periodical journal, and however brilliant its success, should the editor listen at all the avenues of public opinion, his ear will notwithstanding be saluted by many an ungrateful sound. Some readers will complain of what they are pleased to call its dull monotony; while others will lament the sacrifice of what they conceive to be matters of importance, in the pursuit of endless variety.--Those who seek for novelty alone, will sometimes be disappointed; while others will start objections, because sufficient respect is not accorded to the venerated opinions of the olden time. The gay may sometimes meet with nothing to excite the smile of merriment, and the grave and reflecting may regret to find so little solid food for the mind. He, however versatile his talents, who would be a favourite with them all, must first be successful in his chase of the ignis fatuus; or obtain from that fairy region in which the rainbow reposes its brilliant arch upon the earth, its treasures of gold. But if your labours should happily tend to give "energy to virtue, and confidence to truth," you will not fail to gratify the wishes of those whose approbation alone is worth desiring--_the well principled_ of all parties.

It has been said, and repeated times without number, that to call a rose by any other name, its odour would be equally delightful. Although the fact may be so, the inference that a name is altogether unimportant, cannot be supported on just principles of deduction. Authors, who have reflected the brightest honours on the cause of literature and virtue by their writings, have encountered a difficulty at the very threshold, in selecting for them an appropriate name. It was after some time anxiously devoted to the subject, by which it would appear _they_ considered it a matter of no trifling consequence, that the pious and elegant _Addison_ adopted that of a Spectator, and the _Sage_ of Litchfield that of a Rambler; under which, with such signal effect, to inculcate the lessons of moral truth. It has been observed by one who knew something of the world, that few circumstances contribute more essentially to general success in life, than an engaging first appearance. So, likewise, the garb in which it appears, as well as the name by which it is distinguished, is more intimately connected with the extensive popularity of a work, intended for the general reader, than at first may be supposed. It is gratifying therefore to find, that both these considerations have had with you their due weight.