thoroughly before passing to another. The interest and attention of those of ordinary abilities, is kept up by practical applications of the science; and none but those properly qualified apply to the pure mathematics: In doing so, they are carefully guarded against the pride of successful calculation, which is apt to overlook Divine power in the consideration of its own.

At the same time that Mr. de Fellenberg dwells with delight and confidence on the natural proofs of the existence of the Supreme Being, he admits fully, and establishes the necessity of a Revelation to supply the insufficiency of human reason. Socrates himself, he observes, did not know how to establish the dogma of the unity of God. His pupils, brought up in purity and simplicity of heart, under the influence of reason and kindness, are in a great degree Christians before they are taught Christianity,—and best prepared, therefore, to understand and receive the Divine doctrine; but all dogmatic points are reserved for the ministers of their respective communions, who are to instruct them; and controversial disputes are unknown and interdicted.

It has been said also that Mr. de Fellenberg's husbandry is ruinous. This would only add to the wonder of his being able to do what he does by his own slender means; but, in point of fact, his farm affords a very considerable profit. We have, upon this point, the evidence of a gentleman well versed in those matters, Mr. Crud of Genthod, one of the commissioners appointed by the Swiss Diet to inquire into the agricultural establishment at Hofwyl, the result of whose statements is, that the farm (214¹⁄₂ poses, equal to about 172 English acres) has produced net in 4 years from 1810 to 1814, 56,705l. Swiss money, and for one year 14,176l. which, deducting interest at 6 per cent. on 14,382l. the average value of stock on the farm, or 843l., leaves a clear profit of 13,313l., equal to 3l. 17s. 6d. Sterling a pose (nearly equal to ⁴⁄₅ths of an English acre;)[1] and, valuing the farm at the high price of 750l. a pose, (47l. Sterling,) gives something more than 8¹⁄₄ per cent. interest, net of all charges. The farm is undoubtedly benefited by the Institution, which affords a ready market for its produce, and perhaps by the low price at which the labour of Vehrli's boys is charged: But the farm, on the other hand, affords regular employment to the boys; and also enables Mr. de Fellenberg to receive his richer pupils at a lower price than he could otherwise do. Hofwyl, in short, is a great whole; where 120 or 130 pupils, more than 50 masters and professors, as many servants, and a number of day-labourers, six or eight families of artificers and tradesmen, altogether about 300 persons, find a plentiful, and in many respects a luxurious subsistence, exclusive of education, out of the produce of 170 acres, and a money income of six or seven thousand pounds, reduced more than half by salaries, affords a very considerable surplus to lay out in additional buildings.

Not satisfied with what we had ourselves learned and thought on this subject, we have been anxious to learn what was thought of it in the neighbourhood, and by persons not particularly friendly to the Institution. We have scarcely heard an objection against the School of Industry. The opinion is universally favourable to it; and though there is more difference of sentiment as to the higher school, the worst we have heard is, that the pupils are not so advanced in any one science as some young men brought up in other schools are. It is admitted that they are eminently moral and amiable in their deportment; that they are very intelligent; and that their ideas have a wide range. In short, the objection, as it appears to us, is, that they are likely to become liberal-minded gentlemen, but not professors. Hofwyl is not a college where the only object is learning;—still less a monastery, where an austere and uniform rule prevails;—it is a little world, composed of different ranks and professions, and where individuality of character is preserved, and a variety of talents unfolded.

The patricians of Berne have been generally, from the beginning, unfavourable to the Institution; yet several of them have their sons in it, and many more are now endeavouring to procure admittance. We have learned very lately, that a decided and active enemy, many years first magistrate of the district where Hofwyl is situated, and lately dead, enjoined expressly in his last-will, that his sons should, if possible, be educated exclusively at Hofwyl!

Treatise on Agriculture.

SECT. IV.

Of the Analysis of Soils, and of the agricultural relations between soils and plants.

We have seen that the earths have a threefold capacity; that they receive and lodge the roots of plants and support their stems; that they absorb and hold air, water and mucilage—aliments necessary to vegetable life; and that they even yield a portion of themselves to these aliments. But we have also seen, that they are not equally adapted to these offices; that their parts, texture and qualities are different; that they are cold or warm, wet or dry, porous or compact, barren or productive, in proportion as one or other may predominate in the soil; and that to fit them for discharging the various functions to which they are destined, each must contribute its share, and all be minutely divided and intimately mixed. In this great work nature has performed her part, but as is usual with her, she has wisely and benevolently left something for man to do.

This necessary march of human industry, obviously begins by ascertaining the nature of the soil. But neither the touch, nor the eye, however practised or acute, can in all cases determine this. Clay, when wet, is cold and tenacious—a description that belongs also to magnesian earths: sand and gravel are hard and granular; but so also are some of the modifications of lime: vegetable mould is black and friable, but not exclusively so; for schistous and carbonaceous earths have the same properties.

It is here, then, that chemistry offers herself to obviate difficulties, and remove doubts; but neither the apparatus nor process of this science, are within the reach of all who are interested in the inquiry, and we accordingly subjoin a method, less comprehensive, but more simple and sufficiently exact, for agricultural purposes, and which calls only for two vases, a pair of scales, clean water and a little sulphuric acid.

"1st. Take a small quantity of earth from different parts of the field, the soil of which you wish to ascertain, mix them well together and weigh them; put them in an oven, heated for baking bread, and after they are dried, weigh them again; the difference will show the absorbent power of the earth. When the loss of weight in 400 grains, amounts to 50, this power is great, and indicates the presence of much animal or vegetable matter; but when it does not exceed twenty, the absorbent power is small, and the vegetable matter deficient.[2]

"2d. Put the dried mass into a vase with one fourth of its own weight of clear water; mix them well together: pour off the dirty water into a second vase, and pour