NOVELTIES IN SCIENCE AND THE ELEGANT ARTS.
Mu. FARADAY'S GLASs-The Lectures at the Royal Institution were closed for the season on Friday week ; when Mr. FARADAY gave an interesting description of his and Mr. Dot.i.oNo's experiments on the manufacture of glass. The art of making it clear, colourless, and completely homogeneous, adapted for optical in- struments, has not been improved in this country so much as on the Continent, and we have been obliged for some time past to import the glass necessary for making our best telescopes. To obviate this, and provide a material superior even to what is made abroad, was the object of Messrs. FARADAY and DoLLorth's labours. The faults of our glass are-inequality in density, streaks, specks, and being coloured, which causes it to refract the light unequally, and to give an in- distinct and even distorted image or any object examined. It was soon ascer- tained that the soda was the ingredient which caused most of the faults. Attempts were made to dispense with the soda: and perhaps one of the most curious facts brought to light by these gentlemen, is that glass can be manufactured without soda. Mr. FARADAy substituted boracic acid for it, but this caused continual ebullition. However long the glass might be kept melted, there was a continued emission of air-bubbles, which affected the homogeneity of the substance. To obviate this, Mr. FARADAY cast at intervals a considerable quantity of platinum reduced to powder into the melted glass, and kept stirring it for a considerable time with a platinum rod. By this means he collected at the bottom, in combi- nation with the platinum powder, all the impurities; and in the end obtained a beautiful, clear, and colourless glass. The use of the platinum powder, to carry to the bottom all impurities that were merely mechanically suspended, has given rise to a notion that Mr. FARADAY makes glass of platinum. He uses it, but it does not eider into the composition of the glass. Another fact ascertained by this gentleman is that the two substances in the compound glass unite in definite proportions. His experiments are not completed ; and we hope, as he proposes to extend his researches, soon to have it in our power to announce that his suc- cess makes it no longer necessary to import glass for optical purposes from the Continent.
BULLETIN UNIVERsEr. DRS SCIENCES.-We are happy to observe that this pub- lication is to be remodelled under the most distinguished auspices. Among the well-known individuals who with Baron FERUssAC honoured its directorship front the commencement, were Viscount GIIATEAUBRIAND, SILVEsTRE de LAY, ViLLE- MAIN, &C. It is now intended to be under the superintendence of an instiiution called the Soeieti Anonyme dr Bulletin Universel, pour in Propagation des Can- noissance, Scientifiques et bulustrielles. This Society has for patron the Due d'Aticoci.Esin, and for members, the greater part of the French Ministry, a num- ber of Peers, and distinguished literary men. It is established by Royal decree, and promises to make the Bulletin, hitherto a very useful publication, one of the most extensive undertakings of the kind that has ever been attempted in any country ; its object being to concentrate in one grand focus all the rays of Science, emitted front every enlightened portion of the globe. The Bulletin is divided into eight sections, each of which is published separately. The first section em- braces Mathematics, Astronomy, Chemistry, and Physical Science; the second, Geology, and Natural History ; the thud, Medicine, Anatomy, and Physiology ; the fourth, Agriculture and Rural Economy; the fifth, Technology and Construe- five Science; the sixth, Geography, Statistics, 8,:c. These various collections being particularly devoted to the Arts and Sciences, cannot, in any case, treat of subjects connected with theology or politics. The duration of the society is fixed for twenty-tive years. The funds are to amount to 450,000 francs ; di% ided into 450 shares of 1000 francs each. The shares may be taken by parties belonging to any nation, provided they will adhere to the rules of the Society. The chief directorship is in the hands of Baron Fmtuss.vc, who, in conjunction M ith the booksellers, Ducoun and D'OcAeNE, and TuEuTTEL and Wiiitrz, superintends at present the affairs of the Society. We understand that Baron rcuessan is now in London; for the purpose of obtaining subscribers, and of making such arrange- ments as will insure the circulation of the Bulletin very generally through this country.
Ms. HALDIMAND'S ALM/M is at present one of the objects of curiosity, and one of the themes of conversation in the heuu'montle. It is shown about by the book- binder like a chef demure of CELLIsi, or the last splendid vase manufactured at RUNDELL's for the Ring. She has laid out, it is said, nearly 3000/. in eMbellish- ing it. The luxury of imperial Rome is probably surpassed by the ostentation of the British Capital, where a banker's wife can afford to expend such a sum ia adorning an album. When those who acquire wealth by sordid usury or ignoble toil can play such freaks as these, those who are born to opulence will disdain the dis- tinctions mere wealth can bestow, and court distinction by making themselves useful, This, we imagine, is the reason why one noble lord undertakes a maritime survey of the coasts of Italy at his own expense-why another turns philosopher-and why a whole multitude of them turn poets, historians, and novel-writers. Good comes even from the indulgence of luxury. We hear at this moment a man crying fine ripe straw berries at fourpence a pottle beneath our window: he also calls hautboys (brough originally from America) ; and we know, if we stop him and examine his basket, we shall find several kinds-such as the pine strawberry, the Alpine, &c. not natives of this country. But if the rich had never encouraged the cultivation of tins and other fruits by paying enormous prices for them when they were rare, and far beyond the reach of the great mass of the people, the citizens of London might now, it is probable, have occasionally a few wood strawberries when they took a jaunt to visit their country friends ; but a plenty of the cultivated .fruit would have been unheard of. Whether or not Mrs. HALormAND's extraordinary album will ever produce another like it; we decide hot; but as its embellishments consist of paintings of great merit, it is highly probable that the mote for such Albums will encourage the ornamental arts, and by making them more common than at present, spread refinement throughout the country. Looking at the mat- ter in this light, we will not even condemn the vanity that employs a fortune M the embellishment of an album.
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