On the New System, which admits the Electric Fluid as the Cause of the Congelation of Water. By the Abbé E. G. Robert of Liege. pears still to leave a more extensive field for reasoning than for the experiments of the philosopher, he ought rather to fubfcribe to the received opinion than become a partizan of a doctrine absolutely hypothetic, which contains more novelty than inftruction. The opinions of Boerhaave and Muschenbroek respecting congelation, have been long received as the most plausible. The first assigns as the cause of the condensation of water, the abfence of the igneous matter; and the fecond, confidering this absence as infufficient, adds to it the concourse of certain particles which he diftinguishes by the name of frigorific parts. Though the opinion of the latter be fupported by reasoning and experience sufficient to make us admit this frigorific matter, it is, however, physically acknowledged that the privation of the igneous fluid is the first and principal cause of the congelation and condensation of water; and this opinion has been adopted by the Abbé Nollet and many other e, minent philofophers. But as the explantation of a system far from being established ftill leaves mankind at li⚫berty to account for this phenomenon according to what they think they observe, different opinions, more or lefs agreeable to reafon, and more or lefs ridiculous, have at different times been formed respecting this object. Among other systems on the formation of ice, a Memoir was published in the beginning of the year 1789, which admitted the electric fluid the principal cause of it; and though this system is calculated only to propagate doubt and perplexity, We are surprised to see it received at present by people who, doubtless, find it more convenient to adopt it non reasoning than from experien e, which, in natural philosophy, is the mother of just notions, and the only source of truth. According to this new system, congelation depends upon the electric fluid, which combines with water in order to harden and crystallize it. But how can this fubtle matter, which philosophers have agreed to distinguish by the name of an igneous fluid, elementary fire, &c. because they find in it all the properties of real fire, and which accumulates in large quantities on the hardest metals, and which is capable of putting them into a state of ignition, and of melt ing them, be the principle of a phenomenon in a body where we know fire cannot reside, and which it con not even touch without destroying that hardness of which we with to make it the principle! To fupport this opinion, f me have mentioned the great quantity of elec tricity which prevails in the atmofphere during very cold weather. I confefs that in dry frofts, experience demonstrates this; but does it thence follow that it is the principal cause of fieezing, whilft obfervation proves in the most convincing manner that this igneous fluid can neither be confined nor alloyed, that it cannot be combined even with air, and that in the absence of the latter fluid, it exists with more force and energy? 18 electricity manifests its prefence in hard frosts, it is because the air beirg then rarer, purer, and much less loaded with heterogeneous bodies, which form fo many obftacles to this fluid, it confequently acts with more force, traverses the atmosphere at more liberty, and accumulates more easily, as it is then less diffipated, because cause the air is not so much impregnated with moisture, which is one of the grand conductors of the electric fluid. It is this moisture which the col generally causes to defcend to the earth under the figure of small stars or stalactites united, and forming flakes of snow, which are so much the larger in calm weather, as they meet with more congealed matter in their fall; and it is this moisture also which falls on the nights of fummer, under the appellation of dew, and which in those of winter, forms what we call boar froft, because these small globules of water make an innumerable multitude of crystallizations, which reflect so many rays to our eye. To judge of the justness of Boerbaave's theory, it were to be wished that experimental philosophy, which has got a machine to free matter from a part of the air, it contains, had one alfo to free bodies from their fiery particles; the causes of many phenomena would then appear to the philofopher; and this apparatus, by depriving water of these particles, which alone can render it liquid, might enable us, without the help of electricity, to obtain a hard and compact matter, which would form habitations moré solid even than stone: I say more folid, because these pieces of ice would unite in their contact, so as to inake only one body: and to render edifices constructed of it durable, it would be necessary to remove from them all phlogiston, as well as every principle of heat, and consequently all electricity, which owes its existence to clementary fire alone. As it is certain that electricity does not penetrate and pass through vitrified bodies, we may demonftrate by experiments that congelation is affect ed independent of electricity. If you fill a very thick crystal globe with water, seal it hermetically, and expose it, shaking it every now and then, water to the temperature of the fecond and third degree of Reaumur's thermo meter, you will see this congeal, though it may be infulated and furrounded by any substance ever so little calculated to tranfmit the electric fluid to it. According to Muschenbroek, the privation of the igneous fluid is not alone fuffi cient to convert water from a fluid to a folid state, and according to this princiale, which he has supported. by experiment, we must admit a fubstance, which, combining with water, hardens it, and causes it to crstallize. This substance he calls the frigoufic. In the supposition therefore, that we must allow of any substance whatever as the cause of congelation, the system of Muschen broek gives us less reason to receive the electric matter as the congealing principle, than a nitrous and volatile substance, which, according to many philosophers, prevails in the atmosphere, but in greater abundance during cold than warm weather. A proof that the atmosphere abounds with a nitrous and faline matter when ice is formed, is, that the globules of congealed water affume figures that appear constant and fimilar, and which make them resemble crystallizations-a phenomenon ascribed to crystallized falts. The following fact, which is an nually renewed, appears still to favour this system much more than that founded on the electric fluid. In the year 1788, the ground in the neighbourhood of Liege having been covered with snow, there arose a north wind which swept away a part of this foow into the valleys, and places which by their local situation were most sheltered from it. On the return of spring, the farmers faw with pleasure and afton.shment that these valleys were more fertile and luxuriant than the rest of the country, which had not been overloaded with snow. This beneficent virtue, which has been long since acknowledged to refide in snow, can be attributed only to the nitrous salts it contains, and which the water car ries with it into the bosom of the earth on the return of warm weather. A short Account of Georgia, and its Inhabitants. Translated from the G Dutch. EORGIA, which the Persians call Gurgustan, and the Turks Gurtihi, contains the ancient Iberia, Colchis, and perhaps a part of Albania, fince the country of Kacketi, in the ancient Georgian language, was known by the name of Albon. The inhabitants are Christians of the Greek church, and it is probable that they were called Georgians, on account of the great veneration which they entertained for St George, the tutelary saint of the country. Georgia is divided into nine provinces, five of which are subject to Heraclius, and compose that part commonly named the kingdom of Georgia. The other four provinces are under the dominion of David, and form the kingdom, or rather principality of Immeretta. All these countries are in general so beautiful and fertile, that fome enthufiaftical travellers have imagined that the ancient garden of Eden was fituated in the middle of them. The moantains are covered with oaks, chefnut and walnut-trees, birches, and an immense number of trees, of every kind, intermixed with vines, which, though little cultivated, do not fail to produce abundance of grapes. The inhabitants make as much from them as is sufficient for their annual consumption, and suffer the rest to perish. Cotton grows here without any care, and great plenty of our European fruit trees may be seen, which thrive much better than among us. Rice, hemp and flax are easily cultivated. to find better or more It is impossible The rivers of Georgia are not proper for navigation, sometimes on account of their rapidity, occafioned by torrents which fall from the mountians and often on account of their shallowness. The navigation of the Black Sea, which might have introduced commerce and European manners into these countries being still exclusively in the possession of the Turks, the internal trade of Georgia is very much limited by the mountains of Caucafus, and this inconvenience continues daily to increase, on account of the numerous bands of plunderers who inhabit them. In the fifteenth century, the Georgians were conquered and made slaves, partly by the Turks and partly by the Persians. Since that epoch, having at different times, very inconfiderately, and without support, attempted to recover their liberty, they have on that account seen their country often ravaged and threatned with entire ruin. It is said, the Schah Abbas the Great, in one campaign, carried with him eighty thousand families, and the merciless Nadir exercised against the inhabitants of thefe these rich countries every cruelty that the most atrocious barbarity and a thint of blood could inspire into a mofter like him. Happy would it have been for these wretched people had they then got rid of their enemies; but the intest ne wars which followed, and the great lords, still added to their misfortunes. These numerous bodies of idle, haughty, and cruel men, had unlimited power over the lives and poffeffions of their vasfals. Not being acqua ned with any other exercise than that of arms, and no other means of aggrandifing themselves but by plundering, they carried on continual wars with one another; and as the fate of arms naturally inclined different ways, the multitudes of peafants made prifoners, and fold to the Turks and the Perfians, visibly diminished the number of the inhabitants. They carried their hatred so far as to form alliances with the plunderers of the mountains; and the latter, attracted by a defire for booty, readily embraced this opportunity of indulging their inclination. These formidable allies having gradually acquired a knowledge of the country, and being throughly acquainted with the weakness and pufillanimity of the inhabitants, carried every where desolation along with them. A few unfortunate wretches, half naked, oppreffed by the tyranny of their lords, difpersed themselves into some of the beautiful countries of Georgia. The revolutions of Persia, and the weakness of the Turks, have, it is true, placed the princes of the country in a situation that might enable them to recover their liberty; but the smallness of their revenues, arifing from the despotism continually exercised by the nobles, has hitherto prevented them from easing that heavy load of taxes which the poor inhabitants Aill fustain. The capital of Georgia, and the residence of Prince Heraclius, is Teflis; the inhabitants call it Tyblis. Cahar, or the Warm City, on account of the watan baths which are found in its neighbourhood. This city was but in the year 1063 by Prince Lierang, according to an inscription feen on the front of the castle. The city of Teflis is no more than two English miles in circumference; it contains 20,000 sou's, the greater part of whom are Armenians, and the rest Georgians and Tartars. There are reckoned to be in this city twenty Armenian churches, fifteen Greek, and three Mutscheds. The widest streets are only seven feet in breadth, and some of them are so narrow that a man on horfeback can scarcely pass along them. It may therefore be readily imagined that they are far from being clean. The houses are built with flat roofs, upon which the Georgian ladies walk to enjoy the fresh air when the weather is fine. These houses are all regular, the greater part of the walls are wainscotted in the infide, and the floors are covered with carpets. There is an iron foundery at Tefis, in which a confiderable quantity of mortars, bullets, and can nons are caft every year; but the cannon, which are all of the fame calibre, are inferior to those of the Turks. The powder made here is excellent. The Armenians, naturally industrious, have established here the greater part of the manufac tories established by their country. men in Perfia: the most flourishing of all is that of printed cottons. Teflis has a mint of its own; but befides the money which is coined there, Perfian and Turkish pieces employed for purchasing honey, butter, cattle, and cloth, are alfo current. The subjects of prince Heraclius are faid to amount to 60,000 families; but notwithstanding the depopulation under which the country languishes, it is proved that the third of of that number are omitted in collecting the taxes. The peasants, who are vassals to the queen, as well as those of the patriarch, pay no taxes to the prince, and are conse quently not enrolled among those who pay subsidies. The prince has permitted his sons in law, as well as his favourites, to free their vasials from every burden whatever. It is to be observed that, as the peasants are taxed by fires, and not by the head, it often happens (and this consequently tends to diminish the revenues of the sovereign) that they carry the most valuable effects of feveral huts into one, and burn the rest; so that they pay no tax, and the money which they thence save, enables them to acquire more. The whole population of Georgia is reckoned to be about three hundred and fifty thoufand fouls. The government of Georgia is despotic; and notwithstanding this, the prince would be very much embarrafsed to get his orders executed without the assistance of the Russian troops. Corporal punishments here are barbarous, but fortunately executions are rare; for criminals find it extremely easy to escape, as they are so near foreign powers; besides, the prince is sensible that it is more advantageous to confiscate the wealth of the guilty; and on that account, he is not too strict in enforcing the laws against them. Regular proceffes form a part of the privileges of the nobility, and are never employed except when the case is very complex, or when the power and influence of the parties are equally great, or rather when the court is afraid of embroiling itself with one of the parties. This manner of proceeding is called the judgment of God. The Georgian dress has a great resemblance to that of the Coffacks: people of any consequence dress, however, after the Persian manner. The greater part of them dye their Vou, XII. No. 67 F hair, beard, and nails red. The Georgian women rub over their hands with the fame colour, and they wear a kind of bandage round their heads, from which their black hair falls over their forehead: their hair behind is formed into tresses. They paint their eye-brows black, in the form of a femi-circle, and their faces are daubed over with red and white. Their tunics are open as far as the girdle; so that when they wish to conceal their breasts, they are obliged to cover them with their hands. Their carriage is noble, their conversation easy and voluptuous, and the greater part of them can read and write, which are qualifications rarely to be met with, even among those Georgians who are of the first distinction. The Georgain women are indebted for their inftruction to the cloisters in which they are educated. The greater part of the marriages here are a kind of bargains; and girls are often betrothed at the age of four or five. Women of rank never go abroad without veils, and a man would be accused of rudeness, did he accoft them in the street; the cafe would be the fame did he in company en'quire after the wife of another.. Though this kind of etiquette seems to be in some measure a prejudice, it is excufable. The cruelties which. the Persians committed against the Georgians, under the reign of Nadir Shaw, are still too fresh in their memory, though handed down from father to son, not to make us forgive them for being very fufpicious of strangers. Many travellers have accused the Georgians of cruelty, laziness, avarice and cowardice. These vices, which generally belong to flaves and tyrants, are abhorred in Georgia. The vassals of the colonies established by Shaw-Abbas at Perea, near Isphahan, as well as the inhabitants of those of the Mesendran, have gain ed |