ART. 37. Communications concerning the Agriculture and Commerce of the United States of America: being an Auxiliary to a Report made by William Strickland, Efq. of York, to the Board of Agriculture, on the Queries wherewith he was charged on his Tour to that Continent. By William Tatham. 8vo. 156 pp. 38. 6d. Ridgeway. 1800.

The author, in his Introduction, labours to remove what he calls "a very mistaken fufpicion, that every thing written concerning America must be directed to ftimulate emigration to that country." P.vii. We can atteft, from many things which have come under our inspection, that fuch a fufpicion was well founded; and this teftimony of our own fenfes will certainly not give way to the affertions either of Mr. Tatham, or of his friends the Board of Agriculture. Whatever fufpicions. Mr. T. may wish to remove, we mult say, that the general tendency of his own book is "to depredate on the population of his native country," and to stimulate emigration to America. It appears, at p. 5, that Mr. Strickland collected his knowledge of American agriculture, for the ufe of the Board, with even greater rapidity than their emiffaries have ufually collected fuch knowledge in the feveral counties of England; namely, in two years. But Mr. T. very juftly, as well as humbly, confeffes, that he found thirty years (devoted earnestly to thefe particular fubjects, with the countenance of their government and populace, aided by official accefs and indulgence to their archives) an application infufficient to form a fyftematic account of them." P. 5. This tract fhould rather have been called a Corrective of, than an Auxiliary to, Mr. Strickland's Report. The ftyle of it is fo turgid and affected, as to be fometimes fcarcely intelligible; as at p. 84: " they are forced into the culture of exotic arts in the hot-bed of fome egregious mifcomprehenfion."

Mr. T. has an expert hand at book-making. At p. 11, he begins, to tranfcribe, or tranflate, from La Rocque, Le Niveau de L'Europe. Having borrowed fix pages, he writes one and a half; then he borrows fourteen. It is now indeed the established practice of agricultural writers to fabricate new books with materials chiefly plundered from old ones; on the fame, or any other fubjects: which is a proceeding juft as witty and fatisfactory, as if a fenator were to think of influ encing the grave councils of a legislature, deliberating on the agricultural concerns of a nation, by reciting comical paffages from the hiftory of Tom Thumb, or of Joe Hickathrift.

ART. 38. Gleanings from Books on Agriculture. 8vo. 196 pp. 45. Johnfon, &c. 1801.

This gleaner has not been very nice in choofing fields for his operations. In "a lift of the principal books out of which were selected materials for the following work," we find General Views of the Agriculture of the different Counties;" a collection of papers, no: one tenth of which would now be used by a real farmer, for any other purpose than that of lighting his candle or his pipe. One degree higher may be ranked Tranfactions of the Bath Agriculture Society, and

Young's

Young's Tour." His beft fources are, Tranfactions of the London Society for Encouragement of Arts, Marfhall, Hunter, Curtis, and Withering. But the whole selection contains many weeds among fome good grain; and we can recommend the book for little elfe than its concifenefs; a quality which indeed we value very highly, whenever we find it in agricultural treatises.

MISCELLANIES.

ART. 39. A Letter to the Rev. Thomas Bere, Rector of Butcombe, oc cafioned by his late unwarrantable Attack on Mrs. Hannah More. With an Appendix, containing Letters and other Documents relative to the extraordinary Proceedings at Blagdon. By the Rev. Sir Abraham Elton, Bart. Evo. 76 pp. 15. 63. Cadell and Davies, &c. 1801.

ART. 40. An Appeal to the Public on the Controverfy between Hannah More, the Curate of Blagdon, and the Rev. Sir Abraham Elton. By. Thomas Bere, A. M. Rector of Butcombe, near Briftol. 8vo. 68 pp. 25. 1801. Crutwell, Bath; Robinsons, London. 1801.

ART. 41. The Blagdon Controverfy; or, fhort Criticisms on the late Difpute between the Curate of Blagdon and Mrs. Hannah More, relative to Sunday Schools, and Monday private Schools. By a Layman. 8vo. 35 PP. IS. Bath printed; Robinfons, London. 1801.

ART. 42. Expoftulatory Letter to the Rev. Sir Abraham Elton, Bart. in Confequence of his late Publication, addressed to the Rev. Thomas Bere, Rector of Butcombe. 8vo. 35 PP. 15. Crutwell, Bath; Robinsons, London. 1801.

Heat and violence are dreadful enemies to the investigation of truth, and a very difproportionate quantity of thefe ingredients has been infufed into this conteft. We have been cenfured (as we are told) with some harshness, because we did not feel difpofed to give up at once our reliance on a character long tried, and principles explained at large in many volumes. Be it fo. The conteft is now over, and we shall finish our account of it with a fhort and general notice of all the remaining pamphlets, which we know of, that bear relation to it. The fober voice of truth may at length be heard, and we may fay with Celfus," Cum hæc per multa volumina, perque magnæ contentionis difputationes—tractata fint-fubjiciendum eft, quæ proxima vero videri poffint, neque addicta alterutri opinioni, neque ab utraque nimium abhorrentia, fed media quodammodo inter diverfas fententias. Quod in plurimis contentionibus deprehendere licet, fine ambitione verum fcrutantibus, perinde ut in hac ipfâ re.”

* Our former notices of this difpute will be found in vol. xvii, P. 444, and in our prefent volume, p. 216, Review for Auguft.

Let

Let as first obferve that we view, as matters perfectly distinct, the two questions, whether Mrs. H. More is to be regarded as a perfon encouraging dangerous proceedings, and whether Mr. Bere was juttly removed from the curacy of Blagdon. The former we have denied, and still deny; but the restoration of Mr. Bere to his fituation, by the fame authority which had removed him from it, is a fatisfactory proof that, on a fuller enquiry, this measure appeared improper. We rejoice therefore to hear of his restoration, and of the renewal of a right understanding among the parties principally concerned.

Of the four pamphlets now before us, we fhall only fay, that the firft appears to have been in many refpects injudicious; and undoubtedly to have injured the caufe it was defigned to ferve. Mr. Bere's Appeal, in confequence of it, is a fevere retaliation, written with the fpirit of a man who felt himself aggrieved; but perfectly able and willing to wield the arms of controverfy. The third tract, entitled The Blagdon Controverfy," &c. places feveral points in a very clear light, but is not altogether free from harfhnefs; or perhaps from partiality, though that is ftrongly difavowed. But the fourth and latt is, to the honour of the unknown writer, one of the most truly candid and fatisfactory publications which, in any ftrongly difputed queftion, we have ever feen. The author expoftulates with Sir A. Elton, but without ever lofing fight of that respect for him which his character juftly demands. He favours Mr. Bere, as to thofe points in which it now appears he was really aggrieved*; yet fpeaks of Mrs. H. More, as all who are not blindly prejudiced, or happy to degrade any honoured name, may know her to deferve. As we can in most inftances adopt the fentiments of this writer, we shall conclude this article in his words, rather than our own. Let it be remembered that he speaks to Sir Abraham Elton.

"And let me now, Sir, in the clofe of this long difcuffion, imitate your example, by claiming your most favourable interpretation of any paffage in it that may have appeared to you exceptionale. And above all, Sir, let me deprecate any idea of my differing with you in fentiment refpecting the merit of Mrs. Hannah More, and the important benefits derived from her unwearied labours in the cause of religion and virtue. I think I could even contend with you in panegyrizing that merit, and delineating those benefits; but they cannot make me lofe fight of the grand principle exprefled in the motto, which I have prefixed to this lettert. Perhaps it is one of the ftrongest proofs of there being no good in this world abfolutely free from alloy, that even the virtues and zeal of Mrs. H. More may, if exercised without limitation, cease to be beneficial. This I haften to explain. I believe that

The tract appeared before the re-establishment of Mr. Bere. We do not feel that we have any thing to retract in what we have faid on this fubject, except the expreffion, "the Blagdon tribunal," fhould be thought invidious. We have fince been informed, that the meeting fo ftyled, was compofed of fome of the most respectable gentlemen in the neighbourhood.

+Fiat juftitia, ruat cœlum,

Mrs. More, with the pureft and most upright intentions, might pursue her schemes of piety and religious inftruction to an extent that would establish, what the Author of a Letter to our Metropolitan la ely pub*lifhed terms an "imperium in imperio," in our church fyttem. And that (to use the words afcribed to her and her fifter by Mrs. Parsons) "it was not their intention to establish a school merely for children, and that it should not be made a nursery of, but that it was intended to inftruct the grown-up."-But you muit be aware, Sir, that the conftitution has placed this duty in other hands; and blind, indeed, mut be your zeal, if you do not perceive the force and ftrength of a great part of what has been stated on that fubject by the author alluded to. In a word, Sir, I am of opinion it would be a blessed thing, both for the rifing part of the prefent generation, and for that which is defcending, if there were an Hannah More in every parith, invefted, under the controling fuperintendance of the refident minifter, with power to carry into effect all her benevolent purposes; but I would not have that power, in any inftance, delegated to an Henry Young, or any other enthufiaft, or uneducated perfon, however religious or well-difpofed.

"Finally, returning for one moment to the caufe of Mr. Bere, I offer you what I feel to be the best proof and illuftration of the fentiments I entertain of Mrs. Hannah More, by declaring my perfuafion that the length to which matters have been carried against that clergy man, is to her a fubject of deep regret, and that he would rejoice not lefs than his own friends at his reftoration to the curacy of Blagdon." P. 33.

ART. 43. The Juvenile Travellers; containing the Remarks of a Family, during a Tour through the principal States and Kingdoms of Europe; with an Account of the Inhabitants, natural Productions, and Curiofities. By Prifcilla Wakefield. 12mo. 55. Darton and Har

We have had frequent occafion to commend this lady's zeal and ardour in the cause of youth, and we are always happy to peruse the progreffive productions of her pen. They are all, and equally, diftinguifhed by great good fenfe and the foundeft judgment; and exhibit manifeft proofs of much and extenfive knowledge of human life and manners. Dr. Mavor's collection of Travels is excellent in its kind ; but this is more immediately adapted for children advancing towards youth. The selection is avowedly from Brydone, Cox, Moore, Radcliffe, Southey, and Thickneffe. We have no doubt of its fuccefs.

ART. 44. An Account of the Emancipation of the Slaves of Unity Valley Pen, in Jamaica. By David Barclay. 12mo. 6d. Arch. 1801.

David and John Barclay having poffeffion of a grazing farm in Jamaica, on which were thirty-two flaves, determined to emancipate them, This pamphlet gives a fuccinct account of the accomplishment of this meafure, and its confequences. The firft experiment did not anfwer, as it was made only upon two of the number who remained with their brethren; but on the death of John Barclay, David refolved to eman

cipate the whole of the number, and remove them to Philadelphia. On their arrival in America, they were put out to different occupations, and were generally able to obtain a decent fupport. The conclufion of the whole is, that fuch of them as furvive enjoy their freedom with comfort to themselves, and usefulness to fociety, and remain a lafting monument of Mr. Barclay's benevolence. Many of these poor blacks fuffered feverely from the coldness of the American climate; but the important inference drawn by Mr. Barclay, and confirmed by his agent, Mr. Holden, is, that white labourers may be employed in Jamaica with as much efficacy as blacks.

ART. 45. The Anatomy and Phyfiology of the Horfe's Foot concifely defcribed; with practical Obfervations on Shoeing; together with the Symptoms of, and most approved Remedies for the Difcafes of Horfes. With Fourteen illuftrative Plates. Dedicated, by Permiffion, to the Pr.fident, Committee, and Members of the Commercial travellers' Society. By James White, Veterinary Surgeon to his Majefty's Firft, er Royal Dragoons. 12mo. 160 pp. 58. Chapman. 1801.

So many fplendid works have been published, of late years, on this branch of the veterinary art, that it may be convenient to many perfons to have the refult of their enquiries given in a portable form. Mr. Freeman (if we mistake not) was the first who gave the anatomy of the horfe's foot in coloured plates (fee Brit. Crit. vol. vii, P. 346) which was done in his work with an accuracy and beauty not to be furpaffed; on a smaller scale, the prefent book presents a fimilar illuftration, and is filled befides with receipts and directions for the recovery of that useful anin.al, the horfe, from many diseases to which he is expofed. To thofe who are deeply verfed in the fubject, the very name of the author may perhaps convey more than any commendation we can give.

ART. 46. The Elements of Book-Keeping, both by fingle and double Entry; comprifing a Syftem of Merchants' Accounts, founded on real Bufins arranged according to modern Pradice, and adapted to the Ufe of Schools. By P. Kelly, Mafter of Finsbury-Square Academy, London. 8vo. 168 pp. 55. Johnson, &c. &c. 1801.

"It is a fact well-known," fays this author (who has published other fcientific works) though not eafily accounted for, that there is not in this great commercial nation any elementary treatife (on book-keeping) that accords with the improved practice of the counting-houfe." To fupply fo remarkable a deficiency must be a very meritorious employment. Mr. Kelly condemns, in the main, Mr. Jones's new Method, published in 1796, but remarks fome useful matters fuggefted in it.

FOREIGN