But let it be remembered that a man must take his friends as fortune wills; that he who can even imagine that he has three is under rare circumstances; and that, as to the romance, time, which mellows and mollifies so many things, may so far extract the professional _virus_ out of excisemen and solicitor, as to leave them both not incapable of entering into the ranks of humanity. * * * * * SPIRIT of DISCOVERY. * * * * * SPECIFIC GRAVITIES. _Table_ Showing the proportion per cent, of alcohol contained in different fermented liquors. per cent. Port wine 25.83 Ordinary port 23.71 Madeira 24.42 Sherry 19.81 Lisbon 18.94 Bucellas 18.49 Cape Madeira 22.94 Vidonia 19.25 Hermitage 17.43 Claret 17.11 Burgundy 16.60 Sauterne 14.22 Hock 14.37 Champagne 13.80 Champagne (sparkling) 12.80 Vin de Grave 13.94 Cider from 5.50 to 9.87 Perry (average) 7.26 Burton ale 8.88 Edinburgh 6.20 Dorchester 5.56 Brown stout 6.80 London porter (average) 4.20 Brandy 53.39 Rum 53.68 Gin 51.60 The figures set down opposite each liquor, exhibit the quantity of alcohol per cent. by measure in each at the temperature of 60°. Port, Sherry and Madeira, contain a large quantity of alcohol; that Claret, Burgundy, and Sauterne, contain less; and that Brandy contains as much as 53 per cent. of alcohol. In a general way, we may say, that the strong wines in common use, contain as much as a fourth per cent. of alcohol. _Extraordinary Effect of Heat_. During Captain Franklin's recent voyage, the winter was so severe, near the Coppermine River, that the fish froze as they were taken out of the nets; in a short time they became a solid mass of ice, and were easily split open by a blow from a hatchet. If, in the completely frozen state, they were thawed before the fire, they revived. This is a very remarkable instance of how completely animation can be suspended in cold-blooded animals. J.G.L. _Method of Softening Cast-Iron_.