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The use and pleasure of a work like this will not require to be explained, to those who have seen the excellent writings of Ray and Der. ham. Abundance of very curious information is here accumulared, especially in the notes; and though the translator modestly apologizes for the ftyle, we see nothing in it at which sound criticism ought to take offence; on the contrary, it appears to us unusually simple and chafte,

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ART. 43. Elements of Botany. Illustrated by Sixteen Engravings. By

John Hull, M. D. Member of the Corporalion of Surgeons, and of Physical Society of London, of the Natural History Society of Edinburgh, and Secretary of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester, In Two Volumes. Svo. About 800 pp. 185. Clarke, Mancheiter; Bickerftaff, London. 1800. " Botany," says this author, " is that branch of Natural History which treats of vegetables, and includes not only the knowledge of them, but the confideration of every circumstance relative to them, as their fructure, functions, properties, uses," &c. As this science has of låte years been cultivated with great assiduity, systems of it have been multiplied in a great variety of forms; but among these works there have been few, if any, which contained so much, within so small a compass, as this compilation by Dr. Hull.

Though this author strictly follows the Linnean System, and de. fends it with great skill and judgment from the reducing plans of Thanberg and others, he gives a distinct, though comprehenfive view, of other methods. He alto explains ar large the terms adopted by Hedwig in his System of Mosses, and by Gæriner in his very elaborate and excellent work on Fruits and Seeds. He gives also both an English and Latin dictionary of Botanical terms. He translates the Linnæan terms into English, in our opinion, with more judgment and taste than was formerly done by the Lichfield Society. His decision, at the close of his Preface, on the subject of the four classes which Thunberg retrenched, being the result of due examination, deserves, we think, to be made known.

“ To conclude,” he says, “ after a careful consideration of the objections raised by Profeffor Thunberg, against the four classes, Gyandria, Monccia, Diæcia, and Polygamia, I am of opinion that they are founded upon true principles, and only liable to particular exceptions, in common with all the other classes; and that the abolition of them will, by the confufion it has introduced into botanical writings, rather retard than promote the extension of the science." P. xxxi.

In this opinion we moft cordially unite, and hope that the manner in which it has been defended by Dr. Hull, will tend to recal botanists from that rage of innovation, which threatens to destroy the use of the Linnwan System, by gradually reducing the number of its classes. Could they be reduced to three or four, how little better would they be than no classificacion at all. · In his popular illustration of the Linnæan divisions, the author is, rather unhappy in comparing species to parishes, and varieties to villages. If the fpecies are parishes, the varieties are more like extraparochial spots.

MISCELLANIES.

ART. 44. A Method of making Abridgements; or, easy and certain

Kules for analysing Authors. Divided ino Two Paris; the Forf, containing preliminary Explanations, and the Rules for making Abridgemenis; ihe Second, ibe Application of those Rules to various Selecions from the best Aulbors. By the Abbé Gaultier. Part ihe Second. 410. IZO PP

ros. 6d. Elmfly, Newberry, &c. 1801. The merits of the Abbé Gaultier's improvements in the art of analyfis, were ventioned in the Britith Critic for September it. This Second Part exemplifies the method of the author, by applying, it first, to the eleven con ecurive pipers in the Spectator, on ine Plealures of Imagination ; fi condly, to the Sermon of Bishop Atterbury, on the duty of praise and thanksgiving ; 3dly, to Dean Swift's Proposal to the Earl of Oxford, for correcting, improving, and ascertaining the English language. They are the same works on which Blair has commented in his Leclures un Rbetoric, &c, and evidenıly derive a new and material illustration from this method. The talents of this author, and pasticularly his skill in the arts of instruction, have gained him a patronage highly honourable, among the most illustrious families in this kingdom, and we doubt not that the present work will materially contribu:e to extend his general fame. Art. 45. Thoughts on the Frequency of Divorces in modern Times, and

on the Necellity of Legislative Ex: ption, in prevent their increafing Proo valence. By Adam Sibbit, M. A, 8vo. 54 Pp. 28. Cadell and Davies. 1800.

Mr. S. proposes to consider foine of the causes which have a tendency to produce the crime of adultery; and then to make a few ob. fervations on the adoption of measures to preveni it. (P. 6.) He cakes a view of the educaiiin, habits, aud manners of the women of the present age; prelenting to us a very unfavourable, but, we hope, exaggerated account, of ihe fyftem of mudern female education, in our fashionable boarding schools, and indeed all over the kingdom. (Pages 9 10,&c.) We alleni, however, to his reprobation of many books, which tend to relax and deprave the minds of females ; such as have been furnished by Rouff au, the German novelists, the English author of the Monk, &c. who leem to have written for the express purpose of corrup ing the minds of sheir readers. The Cyprian drels, and Ciprian manners of [tome among] the ladies of our times, and the fpirit of tentation which marks the prefent aze," are reprobated with due leverin. (Pages 19. 20.)

The profl gacy of R man wonen in former times, and of French women in late times, is alledged to have been the principal cause of the ruin which betel each of These people. The measures to be adopted, tor'pr venting the crime in quellion, are not set forth with fufficient distinctness; and the whole tract, though evidently written with the belt inten ions, is iets argumen'ative and more declamatory and verboh, than the friends of religion, morality, and social order, might deace.

ART. 46. The Creation ; in Six Books. After the Manner, and as an

introductory Companion, to the Death of Abel and Death of Cain. 'By William Henry Hall, Author of the Royal Encyclopaedia, &c. 8vo. 145 pp. 25. 6d. Crosby and Letterman. i8oi.

Poems in prose (if the terms do nos, as we think they do, involve a contradiction) are not, even when well executed, agreeable to our taste, They are, for the most part, minute and tedious, or bombastic and extravagant. Of all these qualities, the performance before us has its due share. The simple and sublime narrative of the creation, in Scripture, is not always dilared to advantage, even by Milton himself. 'What must it be in the hands of an inferior writer, in a profe composition, like the present, which describes the mode and process of the creation in minute and aff-Etedly scientific terms, and puts a number of pompous and vain-glorious speeches, more proper for Some boastful tyrant on the stage, into the mouth of the Supreme Being? Where, however, a work leems to have been written with good intentions (which the very respectable patronage implied by the dedi. cation imports) we refr as much as possible from severe censures. The Death of Abel, by Gessner (of which this book professes to be an imitation) has some pathos and interest ; but in that Poem the story is, in a great measure, domestic, and in itself affecting. Here the subject is above the grasp of human intelleét; and the writer's knowledge savours of pedantry, as his piery is, we fear, not a little tinctured with enthusiasm. Art. 47Another Efence of Malone, or the Beauties of Shakspeare's

Editor. 8vo. 128 pp. 3s. 6d. Becket. , 1801. The man who invented second parts often seems to deserve a share of the anaihema which has sometimes fallen upon the inventor of fifth acts. We have here a second Essence of Malone, so extravagantly witty, and so ouerly confused, that to read through seems an abso. lute impoffibility. Yet the criticism enveloped in this strange vehicle appears almost uniformly to be just. The brief resule is this, that the person attacked is (which cannot be denied, and was well known toaccurate observers before) in general unfortunate in his remarks on fyllables and rhymes; and ihat he has bestowed too minure an attention on the not very importani point of the exact spelling of Shakespeare's name; and this attention also not always successful. Bue why all this eagerness of attack on these points ; which, after all, will leave Mr. M. the character of a very diligent, and, generally, a very uselul editor? We fear chiefly for the purpose of making a book, which certainly is made, in this instance, with as little skill as temperance. The most amusing part of this tract is the tale of Abel, the famous musician, and the Sermon; but told with rather too much ambition of tacecie. ousness, and in fact but too literally applicable to the cafe. Art. 48. An Examination of the Merits and Tendency of the Pursuits

of Literature. Part Second. By W. Burdon, M. A. formerly Fellow of Emanuel College, Cambridge. 8vo. 143 pp. Brown, Newcastle upon Tyne; Clarke, London, 1800,

Je viens," fays Moliere, in one of his prefaces; " auffi difficile de combattre un ouvrage que le public approuve, que d'en défendre un

qu'il condamne.” In the former of these attempts Mr. Burdon labours hard, against all probability of success; and hopes, no doubt, to perfuade the multitude, who have admired the P. of L. that they ought to have waited for his decision, before they ventured to form an opi. nìon. We, however, are among the stubborn readers, who are determined to think for themselves; and when we fee that the persons whom this examiner panegy rizes, are such as Mş. Flower, the Cambridge printer (a true account of whom, from his own actions, was given in our Review for Augoft lait, p. 123) we cannot wonder that he should be hurt at the popularity of that poem, or conceive that the author of it can possibly wish for his approbation, How far Mr. B. may find it answer to go on lecturing the public, on a question which has been decided Itrongly against him, it is not for us to guess; but the prospect is formidable, if he is to proceed on the scale he has hitherto employed; for this second pamphlet, of 140 pages, takes him only a very little way into the second Dialogue. Every thing, which can be made the subject of a remark or cavil, is taken up. The former part of this publication was noticed in vol. xvi, p. 691. ART. 49. Pię uresque Views, with an Hiforica! Account of the Inns of

Couri in London and Westminster. By Samuel Ireland, Author of a Tour through Holland, Brabant, &c. of Picturesque Vierus of the River Thames, Med-way, Avon, and I'ye; and of Grapbic Illuftrations of Higanb, &c. Large Svo. 21. 25. Egerton. 1800.

The author of this work has paid the great debt of nature ; it shall not, therefore, be our part wo exaggerate any demerits whicli cannot now be reformed, or to bring back to the recollection of the reader errors which may well be forgotten. As far as this volume may be considered as increasing the materials for a syitematic history of the metropolis, it is certainly acceptable. Io other respects, it seems rather to have been intended as a vehicle for the plates, which are executed with considerable skill and merit, and indeed are superior to those which adorn Mr. Ireland's former productions. 'The work is dedı. cated to the late Lord Chancellor, now Earl of Rosslyn,

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ART. 50. Les Saisons pour l'Enfance et la premiere Jennefle ou Dia.

logues amusans, moraux et instructifs entre une mere et fes enfans par la Comtesse de Fouchecour née Grani, dediées à l'Honourable Lady Horze wood. 1?mo. 38. 6d. Dulau. 1801. A very entertaining and useful little book for children, fomewhat refembling, though on a less enlarged plan, the work of Dr. Aikin's, called the Calendar of Nature, which was exceedingly well received. ART. 51. The true Lover of his Country;

or, a Trealife on Sovereignty, with Respect to its Origin, irs Obje&t, its Functions, and its several Modifications ; with a concise Description of the Revolutions of the Roman Republic, of the Kingdom of England, and more particularly that of France. By M. Clenience.

38. 6d. Dulau.

1801. This work, which is published both in French and English, is a fo lection of the fentiments of various authors, upon the subjects detailed · 5

fo

Izmo.

so circumftantially in the title-page. The intention is obviously good, and is meritoriously executed; it will be useful for students in either language; but perhaps it would have been more so, if the particular pallages intruduced had been alligned to their respective authors, ART. 52. · The German Museum, or the Maribly Repository of the Lite!

rature of Germany, the Norib, and the Continent in General." In Twa Volumes.' 8yo, 11. is. Geisweiler, 1800,

This collection was originally published in numbers ; they are now formed into two volumes, and altogether compose a most agreeable miscellany. They exhibit specimens of the best and most popular works circulating on the continent; but we are not sorry to oblerve, that the English talte for that species of German literature, which for a time was eagerly received among us, is rapidly on the deciine. We have long been ridiculed in Germany for the admiration which has been paid to the performances of Kotzebue; an author, who has never been much esteemed among those who were the best judges of his real value, and who seems to have little claim to attention beyond that of affected eccentricity of sentiment, of a vapid and falle sensibility, and of a fuspicious and defective morality, ART. 53. Juvenile Biography; or, Lives of cilibrated Children, in

çulcating Virtue by emineni Examples from real Life: to which are added, Moral Refle&tions ; addressed to the Youth of both Sixes. By Mr. Falle, Profesor of the Spanish and French Languages. Translated by Mrs. Cummyng, Tranflairefs of Efielle. In two volumes. 6s. Dulqu. 1801.

This is doubtless a proper and very entertaining book for children a but we think the tranfarrefs might have einployed her time and talento to a bertér purpose Art.54 : A Narrative of the Life of Sarah Shade, born at Stok Edith

in the County of Hereford, containing many well-authenticated and come rious Facts, more particularly during her Voyage to the Eaft-Iudies, the New Devonshire Indiaman, in the Year 1769, and in traversing that Country in Company will be Army at the Sieges of Pondicherry. Velore, Negapatam, &c&c. together with some extraordinary Accounts of the Ferocity of Tigers, Jackals, Piah Dogs, Vultures, &c. taken .. down by Tome Gentlemen, and published for ber Benefit. 8vo. 28 Hatchard. 1801.

If this be what it professes, we wish it fuccefs; but it has not much recommendation in itself.

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ART. 55. The Two Princes of Perfil Addressed to Youth. By

J. Porter. Crown 8vo. 117 pp. 36. Crosby and Letterman, 1801.

In this little volume an Eaftern sage is represented as instructing two Persian Princes, his pupils, by precepts and thort ftories applied to every perverse inclination, or reprehenGble action that he oblerves in them, By this mode of education he fucceeds so well, that the elder of the

Princesa

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