St. Doulach, an Anchoret whofe feaft is celebrated on the firft of Anguft, on which day and during its octave, is vifited a famous well in Fingal, between Belgriffin and Kinfaly, about five miles from Dublin, contiguous to a church facred to the memory of this venerable folitary, whofe life was formerly preferved at Malahide, but now not to be met with. The building of the Hermitage is ftill covered, and in it is an altar, which fome look upon to have been the tomb of that holy Reclufe, near which is a hole where many put in their heads to get rid of the head ache. Up two pair of ftone ftairs is fhewn his bed, not much larger than a finall oven, fcarce fufficient to contain a perfon of moderate fize; it is held in great repute by women in pregnancy, who turn thrice in faid bed, hoping thereby they may not die in child-bed. The fteepie is fill up, as is alfo the church, which is now much fmaller than formerly. Divine Service is performed there once a fortnight, and the tithes belong to the chapter of Christ Church. Near this church is a well of moft lucid and delightful water, inclofed and arched over, and formerly embellifhed at the expence of Peter Fagan, brother of John Fagan, of Feltrim, Efq. with the decorations of gilding and painting. The defcent of the Holy Ghost on the Apoftles was reprefented on the top; the effigies of St. Patrick, St. Columba, and St. Bridget, much after the manner they are engraved in Meffingham's title page to his Flori-logium Sanctorum Hiberniæ, as alfo of St. Doulach, in a hermit's habit. On the walls was the following infcription, engraved on a marble ttone : Pifflina Solymis clara decus efferat alta, Et medicas populus ja&tet Hebræus Doctor Patrick Ruffel, Archbishop Dublin, granted forty days indulce to thole who would fay devout 1, a their bare knees, at St. Doulacn's well, five times the Lord's Prayer, Ave Maria, and at the end of faid prayers, the Apostles' Creed, and that a fortnight muft intervene between each time of faying the aforefaid prayers to gain the indulgence, as appears from an infcription which had been formerly on a ftone which imported the fame. At the back of St. Doulach's well, there is another for bathing, which is vaulted, and called after St. Catherine. About thirty-fix years fince, a neighbouring man of fortune, of the name of Newenham, with a fet of drunken vandals, his companion defiled the well in the most filthy and indecent manner; and to finish their work of facrilege, they broke the iron door that fecured the well, pulled down the reprefentation of the Holy Ghoft and Apoftles that ornamented the ceiling, carried away the figures of St, Patrick, St. Columba and St. Bridget, broke into pieces fome Scripture pieces, in pannels, that ornamented the walls. The poor Catholics of the neighbourhood, who remember this facrilege, flatter themfelves that Heaven did not let the ruffians efcape its fevere vifitations, as fome fhort time after, Newenham's daughter fell a victim to a fire which caught her clothes at her toilet, while preparing for fome party of plea fure; the father, after many misfortunes, was compelled to refign his property to his creditors, and fied, never daring to appear; he lingered the remainder of his life, a fugitive, in want and contempt. Memoir of Maximilian Hell, MAXIMILIAN HELL, profeffor of aftronomy and director of the imperial obfervatory of the univerfity of Vienna, member of most of the learned focieties in Europe, was born in 1720, at Chemnitz, in Hungary, where his father was director of all the hydraulic machines belonging to the neighbouring mines. Having completed his fchool education at Neufol, be entered in 1738 into the fociety of the Jefuits, who in 1740 fent him to the college of Vienna. At this feminary he ftudied philofophy for three years, during which he displayed a great mechanical genius, and employed his leisure hours in conftructing water clocks, terreftrial and celeftial globes, and other machines of the like kind. In the years 1744 and 1745 he devoted himself to his fa vourite purfuit, mathematics, under the care of the celebrated Froelich, and not only affifted Franz, the aftro nomer of the Jefuit's obfervatory, in his aftronomical labours, but alfo in arranging the nufcum for experimental philofophy. At the fame time be ing defirous to render his talents more generally ufeful, he published a new edition of the Arithmetica numerica et literalis of John Crevillius, which ferved as a text book in the univerfities and public feminaries, and gave inftruction in the mathematics and the art of aflaying to young Count Conig fegg, who afterwards obtained an ap pointment in the mines of Chemnitz. In the years 1746 and 1747 he dif tinguished himlelf as teacher of the Latin and Greek Languages in the catholic fchool of Leutichau, in Hungary; and while in this fituation he improved himself in aflionomy, for which purpofe he was fupplied with the neceffary inftruments from the Jefuits college and the mathematical mufeum at Vienna. Towards the latter end of the year 1747, he returned to that capital to enter on the ftudy of theology, and, by defire of Count Konigsegg, he inftructed in the mathematics and art of affaying feveral young men of noble families, who were deftined for employments in the Hungarian mines. In 1750 he publifhed, but without his name," Adjumentum memoriæ manuale Chronologico-geneologico hiftoricum," which has fince been tranflated into various Languages, and of which a new edition, with his name and a great many additions, appeared in 1774. Having obtained the priesthood in 1751, and completed the third year of his probation at Neufol, in Hungary, in 1752, about which period he began building the obfervatory of Ty:nau, in conjunction with the director of the college of that town, Borgias Keri, the degree of doctor, and the public profefforfhip of the mathematics at Claufenburg, were conferred on him as a reward for his indefatigable zeal. He was likewife entrusted with the care of establishing a new college and an obfervatory at that place, and of proG 2 viding St. Doulach, an Anchoret whose feaft is celebrated on the first of Angust, on which day and during its octave, is vifited a famous well in Fingal, between Belgriffin and Kinfaly, about five miles from Dublin, contiguous to a church facred to the memory of this venerable folitary, whofe life was formerly preferved at Malahide, but now not to be met with. The building of the Hermitage is ftill covered, and in it is an altar, which fome look upon to have been the tomb of that holy Reclufe, near which is a hole where many put in their heads to get rid of the head ache. Up two pair of ftone ftairs is fhewn his bed, not much larger than a finall oven, fcarce fuffi cient to contain a perfon of moderate fize; it is held in great repute by women in pregnancy, who turn thrice in faid bed, hoping thereby they may not die in child-bed. The fteepie is fill up, as is alfo the church, which is now much fmaller than formerly. Divine Service is performed there once a fortnight, and the tithes belong to the chapter of Christ Church. Near this church is a well of moft lucid and delightful water, inclofed and arched over, and formerly embellished at the expence of Peter Fagan, brother of John Fagan, of Feltrim, Efq. with the decorations of gilding and painting. The defcent of the Holy Ghost on the Apoftles was reprefented on the top; the effigies of St. Patrick, St. Columba, and St. Bridget, much after the manner they are engraved in Mef fingham's title page to his Flori-logium Sanctorum Hiberniæ, as alfo of St. Doulach, in a hermit's habit. On the walls was the following infcription, engraved on a marble stone: Piffine Solymis clara decus efferat alta, Et medicas populus jadet Hebræus frame. Doctor Patrick Ruffel, Archbishop Dublin, granted forty days indulce to thole who would fay devout a their bare knees, at St. Doulacn's well, five times the Lord's Prayer, Ave Maria, and at the end of faid prayers, the Apoftles' Creed, and that a fortnight muft intervene between each time of faying the aforefaid prayers to gain the indulgence, as appears from an infcription which had been formerly on a ftone which imported the fame. At the back of St. Doulach's well, there is another for bathing, which is vaulted, and called after St. Catherine. About thirty-fix years fince, a neighbouring man of fortune, of the name of Newenham, with a fet of drunken vandals, his companion, defiled the well in the moft filthy and indecent manner; and to finish their work of facrilege, they broke the iron door that fecured the well, pulled down the reprefentation of the Holy Ghoft and Apoftles that ornamented the ceiling, carried away the figures of St, Patrick, St. Columba and St. Bridget, broke into pieces fome Scripture pieces, in pannels, that ornamented the walls. The poor Catholics of the neighbourhood, who remember this facrilege, flatter themselves that Heaven did not let the ruffians efcape its fevere vifitations, as fome fhort time after, Newenham's daughter fell a victim to a fire which caught her clothes at her toilet, while preparing for fome party of plea fure; the father, after many misfortunes, was compelled to refign his property to his creditors, and fled, never daring to appear; he lingered the remainder of his life, a fugitive, in want and contempt. Memoir of Maximilian Hell. MAXIMILIAN HELL, profeffor of aftronomy and director of the imperial obfervatory of the univerfity of Vienna, member of most of the learned focieties in Europe, was born in 1720, at Chemnitz, in Hungary, where his father was director of all the hydraulic machines belonging to the neighbouring mines. Having completed his fchool education at Neufol, be entered in 1738 into the fociety of the Jefuits, who in 1740 fent him to the college of Vienna. At this feminary he ftudied philofophy for three years, during which he displayed a great mechanical genius, and employed his leifure hours in conftructing water clocks, terreftrial and celeflial globes, and other machines of the Like kind. In the years 1744 and 1745 he devoted hinfelf to his favourite purfuit, mathematics, under the care of the celebrated Froelich, and not only affifted Franz, the aftro nomer of the Jefuit's obfervatory, in his aftronomical labours, but also in arranging the mufcum for experimental philofophy. At the fame time be ing defirous to render his talents more generally useful, he published a new edition of the Arithmetica numerica et literalis of John Crevillius, which ferved as a text book in the univerfities and public feminaries, and gave inftruction in the mathematics and the art of affaying to young Count Conig fegg, who afterwards obtained an ap pointment in the mines of Chemnitz. In the years 1746 and 1747 he dif tinguished himlelf as teacher of the Latin and Greek Languages in the catholic fchool of Leutfchau, in Hungary; and while in this fituation he improved himfelf in aftronomy, for which purpofe he was fupplied with the neceffary inftruments from the Jefuits college and the mathematical mufeum at Vienna. Towards the latter end of the year 1747, he returned to that capital to enter on the ftudy of theology, and, by defire of Count Konigsegg, he inftructed in the mathematics and art of affaying feveral young men of noble families, who were deftined for employments in the Hungarian mines. In 1750 he publifhed, but without his name, "Adjumentum memoriæ manuale Chronolo gico-geneologico hiftoricum," which has fince been tranflated into various Languages, and of which a new edition, with his name and a great many additions, appeared in 1774. Having obtained the priesthood in 1751, and completed the third year of his probation at Neufol, in Hungary, in 1752, about which period he began building the obfervatory of Tyinau, in conjunction with the director of the college of that town, Borgias Keri, the degree of doctor, and the public profefforfhip of the mathematics at Claufenburg, were conferred on bum as a reward for his indefatigable zeal. He was likewife entrusted with the care of establishing a new college and an obfervatory at that place, and of proG 2 viding through the fnow over the walls, which were twelve feet in height. For three weeks from the beginning till near the end of January. the drifting fnow occafioned fuch obfcurity that that people could not fee each other at noon without the help of a lamp. The inland was continually covered with fnow and ice till the month of May; from June to September, however, the fnow melts; but even during this period it fometimes falls fo thick as to cover the whole ifland. According to obfervations made with the thermometor, the cold in this ifland was not greater than that ufual at Vienna during moderate winters; that is to fay, about ten degrees below zero, except on a few days from the 27th of January to the aft of February, when the mercury fell to 14°h, which is not uncommon at Vienna, and on the night between the 29th and 30th, when for a few minutes it was 189. The caufe of this moderate temperature Hell afcribes to the fituation of the island, as the fea by which it is furrounded being kept in continual motion by the wind can never freeze; and the cafe is the fame along the whole coaft of Finmark. During the time he refided here he faw only Once, during the above cold night, a cruit of ice of the thickness of a finger around the island, but it did not continue more than a day. Though from fix o'clock in the evening of the 24 of June to fix in the evening of the 3d, the fun, concealed behind thick clouds, feened to preclude all hope of being able to accomplish the object of his journey, Hell and his affiftants got every thing ready for this important obfervation. About eight in the evening a gentle weft wind fprang up, and having difperfed the clouds, about nine the heavens were fo ferene, that Venus and the folar fpots could be diftinely feen. The obfervation, therefore, was fuccefsiul beyond what had been expected. The ingrefs took place at a quarter paft nine at right, and the egress at a quarte rpaft four in the morning of June 4th. The ecliple of the fun on the 4th of June was Obferved with the fame precision. The obfervers fent to other parts of the earth were equally fuccefsful; but as the refults did not entirely agree, Hell on this account was involved in a literary conteft, and particularly with Lalande. The object of the obfervation, however, was fo far attained, that the aftronomical knowledge of the earth and folar fyftem was improved by it, and it will always form an important event in the hiftory of aftronomy. On the 27th of June, 1769, Hell fet out on his return, proceeding to Drontheim by fea, and thence to Copenhagen, where he refided feven months, and communicated, besides other things, to the Academy of Sciences, the obfervations he had made of the tranfit, which were published, and afterwards reprinted in the phemerides for 1771. On the 20th of May, 1770, he left Copenhagen, and returned by Hamburgh and Guttingen to Vienna, where he arrived in Auguft. Here he collected and arranged the fruits of his journey, with intention of communicating his difcoveries to the learned, under the title of " Expeditio literaria ad Polum Arcticum," part of which was prepared for the prefs at a confiderable expence, but it never made its appearance. The caufe of its fuppreffionis not known. Hell laboured for three years on the cftablifhment of an Academy of Sciences, which, according to his plan, was to be under the direction of the Jefuits; but this defign was not carried int execution. He then fuperintended the building of a new obfervatory at Erlau, in Hungary, at the expence of the bishop, Count Charles of Efterha-. zy, and undertook two journies thither, to direct the operations and to arrange a valuable collection of inftruments which had been fent to him from England. Hell led a life fo fimple, that the events of each day were merely a lepetition of thofe of the pre ceding, |