Tamerica from Europe, renders the HE wide ocean which feparates political condition of the United States, at prefent, a fubject, comparatively, of trivial intereft. The form of government adopted by this rifing Republic, the pacific policy which diftinguishes the adminiftration, the fcantinefs of national wealth, and the univerfal occupation of the people in the pursuits of industry and the means of improving their private circumftances, do not admit of engaging, without evident neceffity, in the imperial game of war, which fo greatly agitates and engroffes the minds of men in the Old World. This habit of still life, of peaceful and unoftentatious employment in cultivating the arts of national felicity, will probably appear in the eyes of Europeans to conftitute a fort of infignificance in the political world, which a moderate share of fpirit, according to the prevalent way of thinking, fhould induce every nation to confider as one of

the moft ferious evils.

The progress of the American States towards importance and influence in the scale of nations will probably be flow, but not on that account lefs fure or fteady. The foundation on which they rife is fo broad, the materials of the fuperftructure they are rearing fo folid and durable, that nothing but prudence and perfeverance is neceffary to complete the work. If their prefent career fhould prove fuccefsful, nations will not be wanting which will be difpofed to follow them, by treading in the fame fteps; but if otherwife, the caufe of Republican government will be driven from the earth, and the moft

undaunted theorist will fhrink from a repetition of the experiment.

The period at which the United States will be confidered as an important power by the governments of Europe, is likely to be much accelerated by the late ceffion of Louisiana. The mere extenfion of

territory, though very great, comprifes but a final part of the advantages which will probably refult from this fplendid acquifition. By gaining full command of the Miffiffippi, the country lying to the east of it will fpeedily difclofe a multitude of refources which must have remained hidden and unemployed as long as the lower banks of that river were held in the poffeffion of a foreign power.

The ftruggles of party in the United States have prefented a curious fpectacle ever fince the ceffion of Louifiana became

publicly known. It will be recollected how highly the importance and refources of that province were estimated by the oppofition during all the time that the French were fuppofed to intend taking it into poffeffion. The valley of the Miffif fippi was afferted to rival the Delta of Egypt; and the whole province, taken together, to offer inducements for colonizing which were no where else to be found. The delicioufnels of the climate, and the fertility of the foil were pourtrayed in the highest colours of fancy. The purchafe of New Orleans, or of any part of the adjacent country, was reprefented as one of the wilduft projects ever contrived to infult the understanding of the public. But no fooner was the treaty of ceffion made known, and with it the terms of purchase, than the province was pronounced a tract of wild lands, worthless for the prefent, and in its future fettlement and population likely to become injurious to the Union. The oppofition to the treaty at every ftage of its progrefs, the fyftematic efforts to decry the value of the acquifition, and the pretended apprehenfions of war with Spain, especially when contrasted with the former declarations of the party, afford a lamentable inftance of the inconfiftency and prejudices which political collifions will fometimes exhibit under the mafk of patriotilm.

The transfer of Louisiana to the United

This was not received in time for the

4

deferve

deferve to be more particularly mentioned.

"An addrefs to the Government of the United States on the ceffion of Louifiana," from an anonymous pen, was defigned to affemble, in a condenfed point of view, the leading advantages likely to accrue to the Union from that feafonable and fortunate negociation.

"Reflections on the cetlion of Louifiana to the United States," by Sylveftris, is an interesting pamphlet on the fame fubject, in which the ingenious author propofes feveral plans for difpofing of parts of that immenfe province, fo as to accommodate the Indian tribes now inhabiting different portions of the territory lying within the prefent limits of the United States, and for other purposes.

In order, as far as poffible, to gratify the curiofity of the public, and to apprife them of the importance of the acquifition; the Government of the United States have lately published "An account of Louifiana, being an abstract of documents in the offices of the Departments of State, and of the Treasury." In this, an account is given of the boundaries of the province, (as far as they are yet known) of the districts into which it has been divided, of the inhabitants and their origin, of the city of New Orleans, of the Miffiffippi, the Miffouri and other principal rivers, of the amount of population, and of the militia, of fortifications, of the Indian tribes, of the titles by which lands are held, of the laws and courts of justice, of crimes and punishments, of the ftate of learning, of ecclefiaftical affairs, of taxes and duties, of the public expenditure and debt, of imports and exports, of agriculture and manufactures, of navigation employed in the trade of the province, &c.

"The Report to the House of Reprefentatives of the United States on the ftate of the finances of the United States," by Mr. Gallatin, the Secretary of the Treasury, is remarkable for its concile and perfpicuous exhibition of the fubject, as well as for the pleafing statement it affords of the fteady augmentation of the public revenues, and the uninterrupted progrels of the plan for the extinguifhment of the whole of the public debt.

The anonymous author of “An Addrefs on the past, prefent and eventual Relations of the United States to France," depicts in lively colours the importance of the affistance, yielded by France to America during the war of the Revolution, the warmth and fincerity of the

attachment which this liberal affitance infpired, the events which caused the extinguishment of this partiality, the dangers which await all civilized nations from the power of the present military defpotifm in France, and the neceffity of combining to oppose it.

LAW.

"An Inquiry into the Law Merchant of the United States; or Lex Mercatoria Americana," in two volumes, by Mr. Caines, is designed to exhibit a digest of whatever is found in the United States belonging to this subject. There is no doubt that fuch a work, ably and carefully executed, would be extremely uleful; but the prefent feems to have been undertaken and finished in too much hurry, and to want that labour and refearch neceffary to render it materially fuperior to preceding performances of a fimilar kind.

"The Reports of Cases adjudged in the Supreme Court of the State of New York," by the fame author, afford a commendable example of the attention and diligence which ought to characterize publications of this kind, which are far too much neglected in the American Courts.

The Author of "Judicial Opinions delivered in the Mayor's Court of the city of New York," has rendered an acceptable fervice to the public, and exhibited a fpecimen of a work which certainly ought to be hereafter continued.

Such as are engaged in the practice of the Law will find advantages from a work entitled "American Precedents of Declarations, collected chiefly from manufcripts of accomplished Pleaders; digested and arranged under diftinét titles and divifions; and adapted to the most modern practice; with a prefixed digest of Rules and Cafes concerning Declarations."

Judge TuCKER, Profeffor of Law in the University of William and Mary, and one of the Judges of the General Court in the State of Virginia, has lately pablished in five volumes an American edition of "Blackftone's Commentaries, with notes and references to the Conftitution and Laws of the Federal Govern ment of the United States, and the Commonwealth of Virginia." This work contains fhort tracts upon fuch fubjects as appeared to require additional illuftration in order to form a correct view of the laws of Virginia, as a member of the Federal Union. The notes to this edition amount to upwards of fifteen hun

dred,

dred, all of which will be found convenient and useful to an American Student. The plan is fo judicious, and the evidences of care and attention throughout the whole performance so striking, that we are perfuaded this work will obtain a very general circulation.

THEOLOGY.

The venerable Dr. PRIESTLEY, whofe attention feems now to be more than ever devoted to theological fubjects, in his publication entitled "Socrates and Jefus compared," avails himself of the character of that illuftrious pagan, to exhibit to the view of unbelievers, the manifeft fuperiority, in all important points, of the founder of Chrißianity. While he takes notice of the polytheism and idola try of Socrates, the erroneouiness of his opinions refpecting the gods and their providence, the imperfection of his ideas concerning piety and virtue in general, and his ignorance of a future ftate, he does full justice to the excellence of his moral character, and to his exertions and - usefulness as a teacher. In this comparifon between Socrates and Jefus, Dr. PRIESTLEY, in almost every particular, finds occafion to demonftrate the unrivalled excellence of the latter; efpecially in regard to the dignity and authority with which he reproved vice, and inculcated virtue, and to the clearness, seriousness, weight and importance of his precepts. And though a Trinitarian can never approve opinions which diveft Chrift of his deity, he will find many things in this performance, which, in other refpects, perfectly accord with his belief.

It was not to be expected in the United States, where Unitarianifm has gained fo little ground, that thefe opinions of Dr. PRIESTLEY would make a favourable impreffion. Accordingly he foon found an anfwer to his publication in the Rev. Mr. LINN'S "Letter," in which the propriety of the comparison between Chrift and Socrates, as teachers of truth and as moral characters, is combated with much force and fpirit. This performance displays a confiderable portion of refearch, ingenuity and argumentative acuteness; and, while it firmly maintains the doctrines embraced by the author, is by no means deficient in a proper degree of refpect and deference for his opponent.

Dr. PRIESTLEY'S "Letter to Mr. LINN," in defence of his Comparifon of Socrates and Jelus, foon afterwards made its appearance. In this, he endeavours to rectify what he confiders as a mifconception in Mr. LINN, of the true object

of his first pamphlet; he vindicates the moral character of Socrates from fome imputations which Mr. LINN had thrown upon it; he rejects the principles on which his opponent had undertaken to judge of the merits of Socrates; and, in ftrong terms, bears his teftimony against the doctrines of the divinity and atonement of Chrift.

This controverfy did not ftop here. Mr. LINN's fecond "Letter to Dr. PRIESTLEY," in anfwer to his Letter written in defence of his Pamphlet, goes more fully into the fubject, and extends to 144 pages. The principal part of it is devoted to paffing over a second time the former ground, and to recalling the attention of his opponent to many objects not before fatisfactorily treated. In an appendix Mr. LINN enters briefly into the argument, which Dr. PRIESTLEY had previously begun, concerning the divinity and atonement of Chrift, in which he endeavours to fupport the doctrines on thefe fubjects which are called orthodox. In this performance, as in the former, Mr. LINN has acquitted himself in a manner which reflects much credit on his diligence and abilities. It required indeed fome intrepidity in fo young a man to enter the lifts with fo experienced, fo learned, and fo expert a controverfialist as Dr. PRIESTLEY, who, at the age of more than three-fcore and ten, feems to retain all the vigour of his faculties, and all his wonted ardour in the defence of his opinions. But amidst all the praife which we think is juftly due to Mr. LINN in conducting this argument, we are com pelled to remark fome inftances of difre. fpect and incivility to his venerable opponent, which we oblerved with much regret. To fee a candidate for public attention commencing his career by a violation of courtely towards fo illustrious a veteran in fcience and literature, has rather an ungracious appearance.

Mr. DOBSON, of Philadelphia, has lately published a continuation of his "Letters on the existence and character of the Deity, and the moral state of man." In this, as in the former part of the work, we notice many fenfible, judicious and weighty obfervations, which, feem to proceed from a mind of the purest intentions, and which are well calculated to make the impreffions on young readers which were defigned by the worthy and benevolent author.

Among the fingle Sermons which have appeared within the period of this retrospect, and which are entitled to fome attention,

attention, it is proper to mention the Rev. Mr. Hol.LOCK's Sermon, preached before the General Affembly of the Pref byterian Church in the United States of America. This difcourfe is deduced from John ii. 30: He must increase; and af. fords a very impreffive fpecimen of the eloquence of the author, who is justly confidered as one of the most eminent among the young preachers in the United States.

The Rev. Mr. EMERSON's Sermon on the death of Mrs. Elizabeth Bowdoin, of Boften, poflefles the appropriate qualities for occafions fuch as that on which it was delivered; and though it cannot lay claim to any high degree of diftinction, it may be properly pronounced a neat and correct piece of compofition.

The Rev. ALEXANDER MC'LEOD'S Sermon on the Kingly Character and Office of Chrift, indicates ferioufnefs, piety, and a mind well ftored with knowledge. But the author, who is minister of the Reformed Scots Church in New York, difclofes too many of the narrow and prejudiced opinions of the communion to which he belongs.

"A Sermon preached at the Annual Election at Hartford, in the State of Connecticut, by MATTHIAS BURNETT, D. D. Paftor of a Church at Norwalk," contains much of the political matter which is to be expected on fuch occafions from one of a body of clergy who are extremely addicted to the carrying of the feelings of party-politics into the pulpit. It must be faid, however, and we think it creditable to Dr. BURNETT, that, unlike too many of his brethren, he is not violent in this difcourfe.

The Rev. Dr. MORSE's Sermon delivered before the ancient and honourable Artillery Company in Bofton, is chiefly defigned to exhibit the venerable character of the early fettlers of New England, the diftinguished reputation of the ancient Corps which he addreffed, the dangers of innovation, and the advantages of adhering to the steady habits of their ancef

tors.

GEOGRAPHY, TOPOGRAPHY, &c. Few publications have appeared in the United States which will be read with more intereft by the lovers of American geography than the Journal of ANDREW ELLICOTT, who acted as Commiffioner on behalf of the United States, during the years 1796, 1797, 1798, 1799 and 1800, for determining the boundary between the United States and the poffeffions of his Catholic Majefty in

America." This Journal contains many interesting remarks on the fituation, foil, rivers, natural productions, diseases, &c. of the different countries which the author vifited on the Ohio, Mississippi and Gulf of Mexico. Six maps are attached to it, comprehending the courfe of the Ohio, and of the Miffiffippi from the mouth of the Ohio to the Gulf of Mexico, the whole of Weft Florida and part of Eaft Florida. An appendix is added, containing all the aftronomical observations made for determining the boundary, with many others, made in different parts of the country, for fettling the geogra phical pofitions of fome important points. Maps, sketching the boundary line on a large fcale, are likewife added. The author has alfo enriched the work with a great number of meteorological observations. The countries explored on this occafion, and which are here fo well defcribed, have lately gained a great acceffion of interest in the public curiofity, by the transfer of Louisiana to the United States. Few perfons, by their talents, or by the advantages of the fituation in which they are placed, could poffefs better means of examining the territory in question; and it may be confidently af ferted that the stock of useful and authentic information concerning it is greatly augmented by the contents of this volume.

A body of interefting facts concerning the fouthern and western parts of the United States has been lately acquired by Mr. Cox's "Eftimate of Commercial Advantages by way of Mississippi and Mobile rivers to the Western Country.' The geographical part of this performance is by far the most interefting. The au thor is minute in ftating the diftances, portages, and prices of conveying the productions of the country, from the Ohio through the Mobile and Miffiffippi to the Gulf of Mexico, and vice versa. In purfuing this fubject, Mr. Cox afferts that Mobile Bay, which receives the Tombigbee and Alabama rivers, is navi gable by means of the former of these ftreams to Lat. 31°. 30' N. by fea-veffels. This is half a degree north of the Flo rida line; and to this point the tide ebbs and flows. The leading object of this publication is to fhew that merchandise cannot be conveyed from Philadelphia, or any others of the Atlantic ports, by the way of Pittsburg, and down the Ohio, fo cheaply by a great difference as by the Mobile, &c. And he next makes an effort to prove that the transportation

by

by the Mobile will be found eafier, quicker, cheaper and fafer, as to a vast extent of the western country of the United States, than even that on the waters of the Miffiffippi itself.

Mr. GRANGER, the Poft-mafter-general, in his "Lift of the Poft-offices in the United States," gives many impreffive facts to prove the rapid advances of the country in the fettlement and cultiva tion of its vacant territory. He enumerates nearly thirteen hundred poft-offices in the United States! This alone would afford fatisfactory proof of the wonderful progrefs by which neighbourhoods thicken, villages fpring up, towns are peopled, fettlements are multiplied, induftry advances, and intercourfe is extended. The activity and diligence which pervade the department of the Poft-office reflect great credit on Mr. GRANGER.

MEDICINE, SURGERY, &c. Within the period of this retrospect the Editors of the "Medical Repofitory" have published the quarterly number, which completed the fixth volume of that work. With the termination of that volume they thought it expedient to clofe the work, comprehending the whole of the fix volumes under the general denomination of the first Hexade. As it was their design immediately to commence a new series or Hexade, they published about three months ago the first quarterly number of the first volume of the fecond Hexade, with the determination, as expreffed in their preface, to profecute the work hereafter with all the diligence and regularity in their power.

In the first number of the first volume of the fecond feries there are feveral papers deferving of notice. Dr. COмSTOCK's paper on a cafe of fingular, nervous affections, fuppofed to have been occafioned by the bite of a Tarantula, and to have been cured by mufic, abounds in curious circumstances, and is as well calculated to excite furprize as any of the inftances detailed by the celebrated BAGLIVI. Dr. PHYSICK'S communication concerning an improvement of the Catheter is of real importance, and likely to attract the attention of Surgeons.

The anonymous author of "The Town and Country Friend and Physician," furnishes another example of the attempts to render medical knowledge popular, and to fupply the public with a manual of health. The performance is drawn up under the fuppofition of being delivered by a country phyfician to the circle of his friends and patients on his retiring MONTHLY MAG. No. 112,

from bufinefs. It is judiciously compiled from every fource which the benevolent author had within his reach, and, as far as publications of this kind are calculated to be useful, may not altogether disappoint his good intentions. It is drawn up with plainnefs and perfpicuity, and will be readily understood in that class of fociety for which it feems to have been chiefly intended.

Profeffor WATERHOUSE's fecond part of "A Profpect of exterminating the Small Pox," is a continuation of a narrative of facts concerning the progress of vaccine inoculation in America, together with practical obfervations on the local appearance, fymptoms and mode of treating the Cow-pock. The author was the first perfon in America who fuccefsfully imported and inoculated this difeafe. His unwearied exertions to introduce, diffeminate and defend this ineftimable fubftitute for the Small Pox, give him a juft and elevated diftinction among those who have laboured in this field, and fignalized their zeal in the cause of humanity. The work contains a large portion of interefting practical matter, and is in every refpect worthy of the excellent reputation which the author has fo long and fo defervedly fuftained both at home and abroad.

Dr. HAMILTON has very little increased our knowledge by his publication under the ftrange title of "A certain Bar against the approach of the Yellow Fever," The confident and pofitive ftile in which he writes may probably produce fome effect upon fuch of his readers as have not been inftructed in the fchool of experience; and indeed there is reason to believe that himself, under the direction of a fanguine temper, has undertaken to treat of a difeafe which he has very rarely feen.

"A phyfical Inquiry into the origin and caufes of the Peftilential Fever," is full of the wildest and most unintelligible notions. The anonymous author takes it for granted that the ancient doctrine of the four elements is right, as far as it gots; but he thinks two others ought to be added, viz. the electric fluid, and another univerfal agent, to which he af cribes very whimsical properties.

NATURAL HISTORY.

Profeffor BARTON, of the University of Pennsylvania, in his "Elements of Botany: Or Outlines of the Natural Hiftory of Vegetables," has given to the public a work of great value, and which had long been an object of impatient expectation

T