The ufe and pleasure of a work like this will not require to be explained, to those who have feen the excellent writings of Ray and Derham. Abundance of very curious information is here accumulated, efpecially in the notes; and though the tranflator modeftly apologizes for the ftyle, we fee nothing in it at which found criticism ought to take offence; on the contrary, it appears to us unusually simple and chafte, ART. 43. Elements of Botany. Illuftrated by Sixteen Engravings. By John Hull, M. D. Member of the Corporation of Surgeons, and of the Phyfical Society of London, of the Natural History Society of Edinburgh, and Secretary of the Literary and Philofophical Society of Manchester, In Two Volumes. Svo. About 800 pp. 18s. Clarke, Manchester; Bickerstaff, London. 1800. Botany," fays 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 structure, functions, properties, ufes," &c, As this fcience has of late years been cultivated with great affiduity, fyftems of it have been multiplied in a great variety of forms; but among these works there have been few, if any, which contained fo much, within so small a compafs, as this compilation by Dr. Hull, Though this author ftrictly follows the Linnæan System, and defends it with great skill and judgment from the reducing plans of Thunberg and others, he gives a distinct, though comprehenfive view, of other methods, He allo explains at large the terms adopted by Hedwig in his Syftem of Moffes, and by Gartner in his very elaborate and excellent work on Fruits and Seeds. He gives alfo both an English and Latin dictionary of Botanical terms. He tranflates the Linnæan terms into English, in our opinion, with more judgment and taste than was formerly done by the Lichfield Society. His decifion, at the clofe of his Preface, on the subject of the four claffes which Thunberg retrenched, being the refult of due examination, deserves, we think, to be made known. "To conclude," he says, " after a careful confideration of the objections raised by Profeffor Thunberg, against the four claffes, Gyandria, Monacia, 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 claffes; and that the abolition of them will, by the confufion it has introduced into botanical writings, rather retard than promote the extenfion of the science." P. xxxii. 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 Linnæan System, by gradually reducing the number of its claffes. Could they be reduced to three or four, how little better would they be than no claffification at all. In his popular illuftration of the Linnæan divifions, the author is rather unhappy in comparing fpecies 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 Rules for analyfing Authors. Divided into Two Parts; the First, containing preliminary Explanations, and the Rules for making Abriagements; the Second, the Application of thofe Rules to various Selections from the beft Authors. By the Abbé Gaultier. Part the Second. 40. 130 PP. Tos. 6d. Elmfly, Newberry, &c. 1801. The merits of the Abbé Gaultier's improvements in the art of analyfis, were mentioned in the British Critic for September left. This Second Part exemplifies the method of the author, by applying, it first, to the eleven con ecutive papers in the Spectator, on the Pleasures of Imagination; f condly, to the Sermon of Bifhop Atterbury, on the duty of praife and thankfgiving; 3dly, to Dean Swift's Propofal to the Earl of Oxford, for correcting, improving, and afcertaining the English language. They are the fame works on which Blair has commented in his Lectures on Rhetoric, &c, and evidently derive a new and material illuftration from this method. The talents of this author, and particularly his fkili in the arts of inftruction, have gained him a patronage highly honourable, among the most illuftrious families in this kingdom, and we doubt not that the prefent work will materially contribute to extend his general fame. ART. 45. Thoughts on the Frequency of Divorces in modern Times, and on the Neceffity of Legislative Exertion, to prevent their increafing Prevalence. By Adam Sibbit, M. A. 8vo. 54 PP. 25. Cadell and Davies. 1800." Mr. S. propofes to confider fone of the caufes which have a tendency to produce the crime of adultery; and then to make a few ob fervations on the adoption of measures to prevent it. (P. 6.) He takes a view of the education, babits, and manners of the women of the prefent age; prefenting to us a very unfavourable, but, we hope, exaggerated account, of the fyftem of modern female education, in our fashionable boarding-fchools, and indeed all over the kingdom. (Pages 910, &c.). We affent, however, to his reprobation of many books, which tend to relax and deprave the minds of females; fuch as have been furnished by Rouff au, the German novelifts, the English author of the Monk, &c. who feem to have written for the exprefs purpofe of corrup ing the minds of their readers." The Cyprian dress, and Cyprian manners of [tome among the ladies of our times, and the fpirit of glentation which marks the prefent age," are reprobated with due feverity. (Pages 19, 20.). The profligacy of Roman women 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 thefe people. The measures to be adopt ed, for preventing the crime in quellion, are not fet forth with fufficient diftinctnefs; and the whole tract, though evidently written with the belt inten ions, is tets argumentative and more declamatory and ver bok, than the friends of religion, morality, and focial order, might defire. 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 Encyclopedia, &c. 8vo. 145 PP. 2s. 6d. Crosby and Letterman. 1801. Poems in profe (if the terms do not, as we think they do, in- ART. 47. Another Effence of Malone, or the Beauties of Shakspeare's The man who invented fecond parts often seems to deferve a share of the anathema which has fometimes fallen upon the inventor of fifth acts. We have here a fecond Effence of Malone, fo extravagantly witty, and fo utterly confufed, that to read it through feems an abfolute impoffibility. Yet the criticifm enveloped in this ftrange vehicle appears almoft uniformly to be juft. The brief refult is this, that the perfon attacked is (which cannot be denied, and was well known to accurate oblervers before) in general unfortunate in his remarks on fyllables and rhymes; and that he has bestowed too minute an attention on the not very important point of the exact spelling of Shakespeare's name; and this attention alfo not always fuccefsful. But 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 useful editor? We fear chiefly for the purpofe of making a book, which certainly is made, in this inftance, with as little skill as temperance. The most amufing part of this tract is the tale of Abel, the famous musician, and the Sermon; but told with rather too much ambition of taceti-. ousness, and in fact but too literally applicable to the cafe. ART. 48. An Examination of the Merits and Tendency of the Purfuits! Je tiens," fays Moliere, in one of his prefaces; " auffi difficile de combattre un ouvrage que le public approuve, que d'en défendre un qu il qu'il condamne." In the former of these attempts Mr. Burdon labours hard, against all probability of fuccefs; and hopes, no doubt, to perfuade the multitude, who have admired the P. of L. that they ought to have waited for his decifion, before they ventured to form an opinion. We, however, are among the stubborn readers, who are determined to think for themselves; and when we fee that the perfons whom this examiner panegy rizes, are fuch as Mr. Flower, the Cambridge printer (a true account of whom, from his own actions, was given in our Review for Auguft laft, p. 123) we cannot wonder that he fhould be hurt at the popularity of that poem, or conceive that the author of it can poffibly with for his approbation, How far Mr. B. may find it anfwer to go on lecturing the public, on a queftion which has been decided Itrongly against him, it is not for us to guess; but the profpect is formidable, if he is to proceed on the fcale he has hitherto employed; for this fecond pamphlet, of 140 pages, takes him only a very little way into the fecond Dialogue. Every thing, which can be made the fubject of a remark or cavil, is taken up. The former part of this publication was noticed in vol. xvi, p. 691. ART. 49. Picturesque Views, with an Hiftorical Account of the Inns of Court in London and Weftminster. By Samuel Ireland, Author of a Tour through Holland, Brabant, &c. of Picturefque Views of the River Thames, Medway, Avon, and Wye; and of Graphic Illuftrations of Hogarth, &c. Large Svo. 21. 25. Egerton. 1800. The author of this work has paid the great debt of nature; it fhall not, therefore, be our part to exaggerate any demerits which 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 confidered as increafing the materials for a fyftematic hiftory of the metropolis, it is certainly acceptable. In other refpects, it feems rather to have been intended as a vehicle for the plates, which are executed with confiderable skill and merit, and indeed are fuperior to those which adorn Mr. Ireland's former productions. The work is dedį, cated to the late Lord Chancellor, now Earl of Rofslyn, ART. 50. Les Saifons pour l'Enfance et la premiere Jeunesse ou Dia logues amufans, moraux et inftructifs entre une mere et fes enfans par la Comteffe de Fouchecour née Grant, dediées à l'Honourable Lady Honywood. 12mo. 35. 6d. Dulau. 1801. A very entertaining and ufeful little book for children, fomewhat refembling, though on a lefs 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 Treatife on Sovereignty, with Refpect to its Origin, its Object, its Functions, and its feveral Modifications; with a concife Defcription of the Revolutions of the Roman Republic, of the Kingdom of England, and more particularly that of France. By M. Clemence. 12mo. 3s. 6d. Dulau. 1801. This work, which is published both in French and English, is a felection of the fentiments of various authors, upon the fubjects detailed fo fo circumftantially in the title-page. The intention is obviously good, and is meritorioufly executed; it will be useful for ftudents in either, language; but perhaps it would have been more fo, if the particular paffages introduced had been affigned to their refpective authors. ART. 52. The German Museum, or the Monthly Repofitory of the Literature of Germany, the North, and the Continent in General. In Twa Volumes. 8vo, l. 18. Geifweiler, 1800, This collection was originally published in numbers; they are now formed into two volumes, and altogether compofe a moft agreeable mifcellany. They exhibit fpecimens of the best and most popular. works circulating on the continent; but we are not forry to obferve, that the English talte for that fpecies of German literature, which for a time was eagerly received among us, is rapidly on the decline. 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 efteemed among those who were the best judges of his real value, and who feems to have little claim to attention beyond that of affected eccentricity of fentiment, of a vapid and falle fenfibility, and of a fufpicious and defective morality. ART. 53. Juvenile Biography; or, Lives of celebrated Children, inculcating Virtue by eminent Examples from real Life: to which are added, Moral Reflections; addressed to the Youth of both Sixes. By Mr. Jaffe, Profeffor of the Spanish and French Languages. Tranflated by Mrs. Cummyng, Tranflairefs of Eftelle. In Two Volumes. 6s. Dulau. 1801. This is doubtless a proper and very entertaining book for children but we think the tranflatrefs might have employed her time and talente to a better purpose, ART.54 A Narrative of the Life of Sarah Shade, born at Stok Edit in the County of Hereford, containing many well-authenticated and rious Facts, more particularly during her Voyage to the Eaft-Indies, the New Devonshire Indiaman, in the Year 1769, and in traversing that Country in Company with the Army at the Sieges of Pondicherry, Velore, Negapatam, S. Sc. together with fome extraordinary Accounta of the Ferocity of Tigers, Jackals, Piah Dogs, Vultures, c. taken down by Jome Gentlemen, and published for ber Benefit. 8vo. 25, Hatchard. 1801. If this be what it profeffes, we wish it fuccefs; but it has not much recommendation in itself. ART. 55. The Tavo Princes of Perfia, J. Porter. Crown 8vo. 117 PP. 38. 1801. Addreffed to Youth. By. In this little volume an Eaftern fage is reprefented as inftructing two Perfian Princes, his pupils, by precepts and fhort ftories applied to every perverfe inclination, or reprehenfible action that he obferves in them, By this mode of education he fucceeds fo well, that the elder of the Princes |