*Thefe local defences are formed of every thorny tree or cauftic plant of the climate.. Palmira trees, or the boraffus flabelliformis, are the primary. These are planted to the depth of from thirty to fifty feet. In the interftices of the trees, which are very closely placed, are confusedly fown or fet, the following plants. Pandanus odoratiffimus, or wild pine; cactus tuna, euphorbia tiraculia, or milky hedge. The juice of this is fo cauftic as to fcald not only the human skin, but the hide of a horse, on whom it may fall in forc-ing through this infernal hedge. Several other forts of euphorbia: the aloe littoralis of Koenig, convolvulus maricatus, and other convalvuli. The mimofa cinerea, horrida, inftia, and another, as yet undescribed, armed with moft dreadful thorns. The guiliadina unite their powers; intermixed is the guiliadina bonducella, and another not laid before the public, to which Koenig gives the epithet lacinians, which it fully merits. The calamus rotang, or rattan, and the arundo bambo, often affift in the impenetrability. The laft is remarked to be admirable for the purpose, fince nothing equals it in refifting the edge of the ax, or the fubtile fury of fire. To conclude, plants innumerable, of unknown fpecies, the feeds of which, arrested by the antient hedge, grow and intermix, preferving it in order and verdure everlasting.' Vol. ii. p. 85.

On the weft of Madras, are chains of hills thrown up by the convulfions of the globe, with a regularity refembling the efforts of human art. It is remarkable, that this tract, though now barren, was once fertile. Vaft trees remain in a petrified state. Among the animals of this country, we have reafon to think there are fome more nearly approaching the human form than monkeys. A defcription of a pair of these, in many refpects refembling human beings, is extracted from Mr. Grove's entertaining voyage. Thefe, if the account be accurate, were probably the pygmies of the ancients. For the reft of the natural hiftory of this part of India, we must refer to the volume.

The Penner and Krishna, with their tributary ftreams, lead our author into an account of the towns and fortreffes which border on them. The defcriptions of the kingdom of Golconda and its gems are interefting, but not novel.

In the furvey of the Circars, it is remarked, that

All the people of this part of India are Hindoos, and retain the old religion with all its fuperftition: This makes the pagodas here much more numerous than in any other part of the peninfula; their form too is different, being chiefly buildings of a cylindrical or round tower shape, with their tops either pointed or truncated at the fummit, and ornamented with fomething eccentrical, but frequently with a round ball, stuck on a fpike: this ball feems intended to represent the fun, an emblem of the deity of the place; fometimes two or more are united, fometimes they are fingle.

The Polygars of this country value themselves highly on their antient defcent, and efteem themselves the first of Hindoos next to the Brahmins, and equal to the Raipoots. The district of each chieftain is generally about twenty fquare miles; they have many little. towns and forts, befides; they have here one fort in the most difficult part of the country, intended as the last retreat of the Polygar and all his blood. It is feated in the center of the mountainous foreft, and acceffible only by a narrow winding path, of the width capable of receiving only three men abreaft, and five miles in length, and every turning guarded by works.' Vol. ii. P. 123.

The story of the unfortunate Polygar Rangarao, with the horrid joar (the maffacre of wives and children, to prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy), is well told; and its horrors are relieved by the unexpected prefervation of the fon of Rangarao against his father's will, and the friendly conduct of M. Buffy.

The great Chilka lake, formed by an overwhelming fea, bounds the Circars on the north; and the kingdom of Orixa follows, inhabited by an effeininate race. The trees of the Circars are defcribed from Dr. Roxburgh's work, which we have already particularly noticed. The pagodas of Jagrenaut, fuppofed, though without reafon, to be the Indian Apollo, are next defcribed.

Cape Palmeras projects into the fea in lat. 20° 43', and beyond it is a large femilunar bay ending in the entrance to the Hoogly river. This brings Mr. Pennant to Gangetic Hindooftan; an object of fuch extent and magnitude, that we cannot follow him minutely.

The Delta of the Ganges includes numerous iflands full of wood, infefted with beafts of the moft ferocious kind, which prey on incautious navigators, or on those who retire to the groves for a temporary relaxation.

The courfe of the river is traced from its fource in the kingdom of Thibet; and the Gangetic towns and forts are fucceffively defcribed. Dehli and its eventful flory, the Rohilla war, and the famous march of the Bengal brigade, acrofs the continent, under colonel Leflie and general Goddard, are included in this part of the View. In the history of Cheyt Sing, Mr. Pennant confiders Mr. Haftings as fully cleared by the defence of Mr. Broome.

A long detail is given of the zoology of this and other parts of India; and we need not add, that the statements of our naturalift are in general accurate. He was greatly affifted in this task by the drawings and the information of perfons now in England, who were formerly in India.

The mention of fome particulars refpecting the flourishing fettlement of Ca.cutta may gratify our readers.

< The first fort was built of brick, and named Fort William, in honor of king William. Numbers of people, attracted by the commercial advantages, flocked to this new fettlement. The goods of the provinces on the Ganges were brought down to feed the luxuries of the west, and those of Europe conveyed across the vast ocean to fupply the new-acquired wants of the east. I cannot trace the progreffive increase; let it fuffice to fay, that the prefent number of inhabitants amounts to five hundred thousand. The English quarter is built in the most elegant and fuperb manner in the European ftyle; and the buildings have more the appearance of palaces than the refidence of private perfons. Some that are built quite on fpeculation will take a rent of a thousand roupees, or .125 English a year. A fine fet of prints, lately engraven by Mr. Thomas Daniell, fhew the most splendid parts of the city, and many of the manners of the inhabitants.' Vol. ii. P. 311.

The citadel was built immediately after the battle of Plaffey, on a scale fo large as to render it useless. To garrifon it is requir ed an army fufficient to take the field, and face an enemy without the protection of fortifications. The river has fize and depth enough to bring up to the very city fhips of any burden which trade to India.' Vol. ii. P. 312.

The bulk of the inhabitants of Calcutta are Indians from all parts; their houses are equally mean with thofe of the natives in the other cities of India, and built in the fame ftyle, but fuch an em porium occafions it to be the refort of people of every nation; here are found abundance of the mongrel Portuguese. I believe they originated from fome banditti of that nation, who for a long time infefted the Sunderbund, or rather its canals and neighboring fea, with their piracies, they mixed with the natives, and increased to a great degree.' Vol. ii. P. 313.

1

A sketch of the kingdom of Napaul follows the account of the river Dacca, which in some measure connects the Ganges and Burrampooter.

This kingdom is feparated from Hindooftan by a range of hills. The approach or lower part is healthy, but the hilly, called Terriane, is infefted from the middle of March to the middle of November with a putrid fever, which kills in a few days. From the interior chain of hills is a fine view of the vaft plains of Napaul, two hundred miles in circumference, furrounded by mountains like an amphitheatre, and covered with populous towns and villages, inacceffible except over the mountains. Its capital, Catmanda, has eighteen thousand houses; the next town in fize twenty-four thousand; the third twelve thousand families. Every town is built with brick, the houses three or four ftories high, and difpofed with great regularity, and are well paved and also excel

lently furnished with water. It is fertilized by the Cofa, which rifes in lat. 30° 20', paffes through the Emodus chain, and through the whole plain of Napaul, and finally falls into the Ganges, a little to the east of Boglepour. The religion of the country is faid to have been brought from Thibet; part of the people adopt that of the Hindoos. The temples are magnificent.

The government is monarchical; the late Gaenprejas had an army of fifty thousand men, but that was unable to prevent his being dethroned by the king of Gorcha, a neighbouring prince, affifted by the treachery of the fubjects of the innocent monarch. The king of Gorcha was a complete barbarian. The cruelties he practifed on the loyal fubjects of Napaul to fhake their fealty, are too fhocking for me to relate. Gaenprejas was in his city when it was formed by the favage monarch, when he in despair ran towards his enemy, and received his death by the shot of an arrow.' Vo. ii. P. 343.

The rude and mountainous country of Bootan is concisely defcribed. Taffifudon is the capital of that territory.

Between this city and Paradrong is the great Emodal chain, capt eternally with fnow, the fame which overtops the other fnowcapt chains, and fhews itfelf to the diftant inhabitants of Bengal, This range is alfo the boundary between Bootan and the Lama's country, or Great Thibet. From this limit, to the great river Burrampooter, is in many places a hundred and fifty miles in extent. The river Teesta rifes not far from the former, and haftens fouth through Bootan and Bengal, till it is loft near Dacca in Bengal.

This country rifes into mountains of prodigious height. The fummits eternally covered with fnow, the fides with forests of stately trees of various kinds; fome, fuch as pines, aspens, birch, cypress and yew, holly and elder; afh is uncommon, oaks have not yet been difcovered in Bootan; firs, and others known in Europe, others again peculiar to the country and climate. Many of thefe forefts are ufelefs to mankind, being placed amidft rocks inacceffible. At their bafe, the vallies and fides are cultivated, and are productive of wheat, barley, and even rice. In the depth of the val lies rufh numbers of furious torrents, which, increafing in their courfe, and at length gaining the plains, are loft in the rivers of Bengal. Vol. ii. P. 351.

The courfe of the Burrampooter is followed, like that of the Ganges; and its claims to fuperior fame, from the extent of its courfe and other circumftances, are evinced. The work terminates with a furvey of the diftrict of Chittigong.

We must not conclude without expreffing our obligations to Mr. Pennant for a work fo interefting, for inquiries fo numerous and extenfive, and a description fo clear, compact, and comprehenfive. The few blemishes which may be obferved, do not greatly detract from the merit of the performance.

The humana incuria and yenial prejudices muft occafionally influence every author. To yield to them only in a few inftances is no common praife.

The fecond volume is illuftrated by fourteen plates. These are views of the country, representations of different characters, &c. They are, in general, entitled to our commendation.

Lovers' Vows, or, the Child of Love. A Play, in Five Acts. Tranflated from the German of Auguftus Von Kotzebue : with a brief Biography of the Author. By Stephen Porter. 8vo. 25. Partons. 1798.

The Natural Son, &c. Tranflated from the German, by Anne Plumptre, (Author of the Reftor's Son, Antoinette, &c.) who has prefixed a Preface, explaining the Alterations in the Reprefentation; and has alfo annexed a Life of Kotzebue. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Symonds. 1798.

Lovers' Vows. A Play, in Five Acts. Performing at the Theatre Royal, Covent-Garden. From the German of Kotzebue. By Mrs. Inchbald. Svo. 25. Robinfons. 1798.

IT is an extraordinary proof of the celebrity of Kotzebue, that two tranflations of this piay fhould have appeared together, and a third have become a favourite on the English stage. The ftory is very interefting. The author has, as ufual, attacked a prejudice; and, in this inftance, no moralift can object to his aim. The baron Von Wildenhain, after feducing Wilhelmina, a country girl, has married a lady of rank. He has not wilfully neglected the former object of his affection, or her child; but, from his removal and other circumftances, they have eluded his inquiries; fo that, when after the death of his wife he returns to his native place, Wilhelmina is in extreme poverty, and her fon a foldier. The latter begs money of the baron for his fick mother, and, not receiving enough, attempts to rob him. He is fecured, and during his confinement learns that it was his father against whom he had raised his fword. The baron, or (as he is called in Mr. Porter's tranflation) the colonel, is reprefented as a man of a good heart. The ftory of the young man affects him; and he comes to release him. This fcene enfues

Colonel. Go your way, with the blefling of Heaven, my friend -you are free. I have enquired after your mother, who is recovering. For her fake, I forgive you; but do not attempt the fame thing again.-Robbing is a bad trade.Take this louis-d'or, and try to live honeftly. If you behave well, my door and my purfe