the former individual communicated to the Royal
Society the apparent distances and positions of 458 double stars, of
which 160 had never before been observed.

[4] We feel as if it were a species of treason to record the
fact, that, within the wide range of the British islands, _there
is only one observatory, and scarcely one, supported by the
government_! We say scarcely one, because we believe that some
of the instruments in the observatory of Greenwich were
purchased out of the private funds of the Royal Society of
London. The observatories of Oxford, Cambridge, Dublin,
Edinburgh (except a grant of 2,000_l_.), Armagh, and Glasgow,
are all private establishments, to the support of which
government contributes nothing. The consequence of this is, that
many of them are in a state of comparative inactivity; and none
of them, but that of Dublin, have acquired any celebrity in the
astronomical world. Such, indeed, was the state of practical
astronomy in Scotland, that within these few years, a Danish
vessel, which arrived at Leith, could not obtain, even in
Edinburgh, the time of the day for the purpose of setting its
chronometers.--_Q. Rev._

Of course, our correspondent does not impeach the talent of HERSCHEL;
but it is lamentable to reflect that no attempt has been made to repeat
or extend the labours of that indefatigable astronomer.--ED.

* * * * *

THE KELPIE.

A SCOTTISH LEGEND.

(_For the Mirror_.)

"Kelpie's a river demon or a god,"
Thus say the lexicons; I'll not belie 'em,
For though I mind not in the least the nod
Of these same critics, still I'll not defy 'em;
But that you may know more of this same god,
(Though I can't sing as Homer sung of Priam,)
I'll write a very pretty little poem,
Of which this present stanza's but the proem.

But to begin, for though 'tis rather long,
My poem I'll comprise into twelve stanzas,
Or fourteen at the furthest, if my song
Don't run to twenty--I'll offend no man, sirs,
If I can help it. So now I'm along
The road, and beg you'll notice these two lancers,
Who, on the backs of horses full of mettle
Hold a dispute, which we'll leave them to settle,

While you go with me, reader, kind and good,
To a small tributary stream from Tweed,
Which, if you don't know, as I'm in the mood,
I'll do my best to teach y