county of Tweeddale, and lies between Dumfries, Lanark, Selkirk, and Mid Lothian. The unscientific mode of cultivating this district disables us from deriving any great improvement from the account before us. Yet it is of use as a statistic document. Mr. Findlater, who is a clergymen, drew it up as a report for the board of agriculture, at the request of sir John Sinclair. Dr. A. Hunter has been induced to republish his Georgical Essays" with additions so numerous as to multiply them from a single octavo into four octavo volumes. And it should seem, from what is occasionally thrown out, that he is at present so earnestly engaged upon the important subject of rural economy, that he means to bring forwards two additional volumes of Essays upon the same subject annually. The augmentations at present before us are rather compilations from approved writers than original communications; and if the author continue to manifest the same judgement in selecting from the infinitude of other books upon similar subjects which he has displayed in the volumes before us, he will perform no unacceptable service for the public. The Highland society has published a second volume of its very important and patriotic "Essays and Transactions." The editor is Mr. Mackenzie, who has not only fulfilled the task allotted to him with attention and spirit, but has considerably enriched the book by personal communications. The Essays are chiefly directed to the nature of peat-mosses, with the best means of reclaiming them, and the cultivation of the fisheries: and upon both subjects we meet with a variety of observations equally valuable to individual owners, and the pation at large. We shall receive

the continuance of the labours of this truly spirited and laudable society with a cordial welcome. The editor of the "Farmer's Magazine" has brought forwards his third vo lume, which, in plain unassuming language, records a multiplicity of facts and hints that may be highly serviceable to the honest circle to whom it is addressed. This is also, for the most part, a history of the agriculture of North Britain; it is countenanced, and deservedly, by the communications of several of our most respectable practical cultivators. Lord Sommerville, whose indefatigable zeal and industry in all the concerns of Nomadic life have justly entitled him to the presidency of the agricultural board, has favoured us with a small volume of "Tracts and Observations relative to Sheep, Wool, Ploughs, and Oxen," which evince an intimate acquaintance with the different subjects discussed, contain many beneficial observations, and give a detailed account of the cattle-show which was lately instituted by his lordship. In Mr. Taplin's "Sporting Dictionary" we rather perceive the knack of book-making, than a pretension to any thing of original merit; the pages, nevertheless, contain information, and may be usefully consulted by those who are competent to understand and have a taste for relishing whatever is bombast and inflated. From a "Piccadilly Farmer and Engineer," of the name of W. Lester, we have seen a book of " Observations" and "Discoveries" asserted to be "of the utmost importance to the agricultural world," which appears to have the mere merit of puffing into public notice a chaff-machine invented by the writer, and which, it seems, requires this adventitious aid to obtain a circulation. On the

subject

subject of horticulture Mr. Forsyth has published a third edition of his famous "Treatise," which we should not have noticed had it not been to have announced that he has fairly availed himself of the paper in his favour which was lately introduced into one or two of our public magazines by a very respectable medical and chirurgical committee, who have; rather strangely it must be confessed, connected the subject with their own profession, and drawn up and subscribed a prescription which we have no doubt will be serviceable to what we have hitherto understood to be the declining reputation of the process, if not to the disorder of the trees. The same subject has been also incidentally entered upon by Dr. Anderson, in a publication immediately descriptive of his new patent hot-house, which is designed to operate chiefly by means of the sun, without the aid of flues, or tanbark, or steam; a part of the plan of which we have no doubt may be found serviceable in the future construction of conservatories, although we have no idea that it will altogether suppress the use either of tanbark or flues. To the result of experience, however, we must trust alone for the degree of benefit to be derived both from the plaister and the hot-house.

If the department of navigation have not been enlarged by the communication of new discoveries within the period of the current year, it has been very considerably assisted and enriched by the labours of Mr. Clarke and captain Burney. Of the extent of either of these works we are not altogether apprised, the first volume of each having hitherto appeared, occupying a thick quarto. That of Mr. Clarke evinces considerable learning and indefatigable

research. But his research is occasionally accompanied with inaccuracy, and his learning is too much tinctured with the sky-blue of imagination. He is a zealous follower of Mr. Bryant, and hence we have every thing repeated about the ark which is contained in the celebrated Analysis. In reality we have more: for Mr. Clarke ascends into the antediluvian ages, even prior to the birth of Noah; and we have in consequence hints, intimations, and conjectures of what was known and what was done in the science of navigation shortly after the exile of Adam from the Garden of Eden. Had our author been acquainted with the Celtic Researches of Mr. Davies, which, unfortunately for him, were not then published, he would probably have ushered us into the Garden of Eden itself; have unfolded to us, as that gentleman has done, the first conversation which was held between the original parents of mankind; and deduced the various branches of literature from the branches of the tree of knowledge. This luxuriancy of fancy is too perspicuous throughout the whole volume:-it induces the ingenious author to convert facts into fables, and fables into facts: but it is peculiarly conspicuous in its introduction, and earlier chapters; and hence the expedition of the Argonauts is regarded as chimerical, while the authority of Kissæus, a Mahommedan writer, is appealed to in proof of the important information that the Sabians were in actual possession of books written by Esdras, Seth, and even Adam himself. Abating, however, this predisposition for the marvellous, the work before us is a valuable and useful compilation. The history of what may now properly be termed modern navigation, extends from

the

the reign of John I. of Portugal, father of the celebrated and enlightened prince Henry, to the voyage of Vasco de Gamez inclusively, immortalised in the Lusiad of Camoens, which, in a cool prosaic narrative, is far too copiously referred to. The volume concludes with an appendix of papers and documents adverted to in the body of the work. The undertaking, we understand, was commenced under the patronage of the late board of admiralty.

Mr. Burney's work is entitled "A Chronological History of the Discoveries in the South Sea or Pacific Ocean. Part I. Commencing with an Account of the earliest Discovery of that Sea by Europeans, and terminating with the Voyage of Sir Francis Drake in 1579. Illustrated with Charts." Captain Burney has executed his object, so far at least as it at present extends, in a manner masterly beyond any praise it is in our power to bestow, and has dedicated it to sir Joseph Banks, who will, no doubt, be proud of the honour hereby conferred upon him. It is clear, correct, and comprehensive; entertaining without fiction, and learned without dogmatism. The professional skill of the writer enables him to be almost always at home, and gives an ease, and at the same time, an authenticity to his descriptions, which we should in vain perhaps look for otherwise. We trust this important, and we may add incomparable, work will be persevered in; not only through the discoveries in the Pacific, but, as a hint is thrown out in the introduction, through every other sea into which the spirit of adventure or the curiosity of man has at any time carried him. This is indeed to propose an arduous and most voluminous task to this admirable writer, but we know of no one so well

calculated to engage in it as himself. Whether he will think proper to plunge into so vast an engagement we cannot absolutely tell; but from the following declaration we are not without hopes: "For the subject of the present work," says captain Burney, "I have chosen the discoveries made in the South Sea, to which my attention has been principally directed, from having sailed with that great discoverer, and excellent navigator, the late captain Cook, under whose command I served as lieutenant in his two last voyages."

In our last number we endeavoured to give some idea of the merits of Mr. Pinkerton's Geography. This, we understand, has since been translated into French, and is obtaining a large and deserved circulation upon the continent. At home, we have now to notice, that an abridgement of it, in one thick octavo volume, has been published for the use of schools, and is likely to meet with success. The editor has rather curtailed the work by the excision of excrescent parts, than by a condensation of the whole; and, as much of the original was not necessary to be studied in the greater part of our seminaries, we believe the plan to be the most judicious of any that could be adopted.

In briefly adverting to the astronomical and mathematical literature of the year, as a tribute to genius and reputation we shall commence with noticing Dr. Small's account of the "Discoveries of Kepler, including an astronomical Review of the Systems which had successively prevailed before his Time." This is a useful book, developing the subject of which it treats in a manner perspicuous and intelligible. The obligations of our

Own

own immortal Newton to his predecessor, Kepler, are faithfully pointed out; as are also the infinite improvements introduced by sir Isaac into the science; or rather, we may say, the outlines of the sublime building, are delineated, which he erected on so stable, a basis. The actual phenomena of the heavens are, in the first instance, carefully represented; then follow the earlier theories by which they were attempted to be described, a judicious elucidation of their inaccuracy and inefficiency, and the conduct pursued by Copernicus to establish the existing theory. Dr. Hutton has offered an acceptable present to the English reader, by his translation of Ozanam's "Recreations in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy;" which contain a vast fund of instruction, and, as the title expresses it, amusement, on the subjects of which he treats. Montucla's work is too operose and voluminous to become, at any time, much more than a book of reference; and the present, in common cases, will ably supply its place. It affords, moreover, a larger portion of scientific entertainment; and, in its language, as well as in its arrangement, is far better adapted for general use. Mr. Frend has very happily succeeded in a familiar little work, intended to convey to young persons an idea of the change which is perpetually taking place in the heavenly bodies, and the new phanomena which the heavens themselves are hence assuming. This little tract he has denominated "Evenings at Home, or the Beauty of the Heavens displayed;" in which, he tells us, "several striking appearances to be observed on various evenings, in the heavens, during the year 1804, are described; and several means, within doors, are

pointed out by which the time of young persons may be innocently, agreeably, and profitably employed." We are glad to be able to announce that this elegant and useful manual is to be continued annually. From Dr. Young we have received a concise and judicious "Analysis of the Principles of Natural Philosophy;" which consists, however, of a mere syllabus of a course of lectures; such, we believe, as he has been in the habit of using at the royal institute. It may hence be found of admirable service as a book of reference, or a guide in the prosecution of exercises and experiments; but the demonstrations must be added by the reader or student; for they are rarely introduced into the text-book before us. Mr. Baron Masseres has published another volume on the subject of mathematics, which he has entitled "Tracts on the Resolution of Cubic and Biquadratic Equations." These tracts are introduced by a prefatory explanation of their contents, and consist of six in number. The old objections to the use of negative quantities are here re-urged; but we do not perceive that any new argument of importance is advanced in the course of the discussion, into which we have neither time nor inclination to enter. The tracts themselves reflect credit upon this ingenious mathematician's diligence, perseverance, and knowledge of his subject. Of a very different character, but equally worthy of attention, are Mr. Woodhouse's "Principles of Analytical Calculation;" in which the writer has been far more anxious to furnish a book that may exercise the skill and ingenuity of our higher mathematicians, than to condescend to the limited powers and comprehensions of beginners.

It is, in reality, in no respect an elementary book: the language is technical; the discussions novel and abstruse; yet the author seldom or never deviates from the soundest principles of reasoning in his analytic processes; he minutely and carefully seperates what is real from mere articles of convention, and discloses where the mind can rest with satisfaction in the discoveries of the moderns.

On the subject of perspective, the only book worth noticing, is "A Practical Treatise, by Mr. Edwards, Associate and Teacher of Perspective in the Royal Academy." The ground-work of this treatise is, as it ought to be, the Lyncean Perspective of Dr. Brook Taylor; while the Optics of Mr. Emmerson have not been altogether lost sight of. It is a truly valuable publication, and ought to be in the hands of every student. We cannot quit it without noticing, that a remark, which we made in our last number on Mr. Malton's work, is here confirmed by a similar observation. Mr. Edwards admits, that it contains some excellent and masterly examples; but adds, that the author "has destroyed their utility, by entangling the vanishing points, and crossing the diagrams in so confused a manner, that it almost impossible for a young practitioner to trace and ditinguish the different figures." We perceive Mr. Malton to be more largely opposed, however, in an "Essay on Rural Architecture, illustrated with original and economical Designs, by Mr. R. Elsam." The public taste has unquestionably been long misled; but the present author, so far from restoring it to classical and appropriate simplicity, wanders further from the mark than most of his predecessors; and hence, though his professed ob

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ject is to sacrifice, in every instance, art to nature, we not only have a plentiful introduction of art, but occasionally of the worst and most disgusting character. What avails it to conceal the mansion-house in a vast luxuriance of tufts of trees, or to make it shrink from a square of massy magnificenee into a picturesque nut-shell, if we be to have auxiliary huts and out-houses presented to us under the whimsical shape of rural retreats, Saxon gateways, Gothic castles, or some quaint device ycleped of Roman or Grecian style of architecture, but which might as well be nominated of Chinese invention? We do not see that Mr. Malton is likely to suffer from the confused and hetrogeneous attack of the present writer. work in a great measure of similar description, has issued from the hand of Mr. Repton, which he entitles, "Observations on the Theory and Practice of Landscape-gardening; including some Remarks on Grecian and Gothic Architecture, collected from various Manuscripts in the Possession of the different Noblemen and Gentlemen for whose Use they were originally written." This pompous publication discovers some knowledge of the art, but an infinitely greater degree of conceit and egotism. With the specimens of architecture referred to, the writer has personally had but little concern; and, with respect to the branch of ornamental gardening, which more immediately constitutes his own profession, had we no other work upon the subject than the present, we should sincerely assent to the following passage with which it is introduced, that most" difficult is the application of any rules of art to the works of nature." The book is dedicated to the king; and from its extravagant