greater in England during the last sixty years, than in the preceding period of the same duration.  Bread made of wheat, when taken in large quantities, has probably, more than any other article of food in use in this country, the effect of overloading the alimentary canal:  and the general practice of the French physician points out the prevalence of diseases thence arising amongst their patients.  I do not, however, think, or mean to say, that potatoes alone are proper food for any human being:  but I feel confident, that four ounces of meat, with as large quantity of good potatoes as would wholly take away the sensation of hunger, would afford, during twenty-four hours, more efficient nutriment than could be derived from bread in any quantity, and might be obtained at much less expense.”—­Trans.  Hort.  Soc. quoted in Gardeners’ Mag.

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THE GATHERER.

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CLOCK-MAKING IN THE NINTH CENTURY.

The Caliph Haroun al Raschid is stated to have maintained an unbroken friendship with his contemporary Charlemagne, throughout their mutual reign.  A variety of magnificent presents attested the esteem of the caliph for his Christian friend.  Among them were several objects, which tend to show the advance which art had made, at this time in the East.  The first of these was a clock of gilded bronze, round which the course of the twelve hours was displayed; while, at the end of each hour, the number of brazen balls which were requisite to mark the division of time, were thrown out from above, and falling consecutively on a cymbal below, struck the hour required.  In like manner a number of horsemen issued forth from windows placed around the dial; while a number of other clock-work miracles attested the height which the mechanical arts had reached at the court of Haroun.

The carriage of such objects, as the above presents sent from Bagdad to France, was, of course, attended with no small inconvenience; and the neglected state of the science of navigation, rendered the journeys of the ambassadors long and dangerous.  Between three and four years were generally consumed in a mission from one capital to another; and, indeed, it happened more than once, that even after arriving within the dominions of the Frankish monarchs, the envoys had still to seek him over a tract nearly as extensive as that which they had before crossed.

Parliamentary Debates.—­Originally these debates were given in the Gentleman’s Magazine, under the fiction of “Debates in the Senate of Liliput,” and the speakers were disguised under feigned names.  Guthrie, for a time, composed these speeches from such hints as he could bring away in his memory.  Dr. Johnson first assisted in this department, and then entirely filled it, and the public was highly gratified with the eloquence displayed in these compositions.  P.T.W.