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from the growth and decline of king doms, with all the varieties of political constitution, as they proceed either from the experienced wisdom of professed legislators, or the fortuitous combination of undesigning causes; and to select such particulars concerning the manners and natural productions of different nations, as cannot fail to please and to instruct the opening mind. For this purpose the relations of enlightened travellers, which intermingle with useful information a certain proportion of interesting adventure, have been found the most beneficial, because they are the most attractive. But as they all more or less introduce subjects which are above the comprehension, or improper for the eyes of youth, the substitution of a fictitious narrative, founded in all its material parts on the basis of real travels, has been judged to be still more advantageous.

Rolando, the principal personage of the work, is taken, on his passage from Marseilles to Beaucaire, by an Algerine corsair, and shipwrecked on the coast of Morocco, where he continues some time in the capacity of a slave; having obtained his freedom, he visits Algiers, Egypt, Arabia, the Cape of Good Hope and Batavia, and after numerous hairbreadth escapes, is left in a very interest. ing state of his affairs, just landed on one of the Maldive Islands. The narrative is broken off thus abruptly, because the translator, in the present relative situation of England and France, has not been able to obtain the remainder of the work, nor even to learn whether it be yet completed. The materials, as far as they comprize matters of fact, are taken from the writings of approved travellers, and a very liberal use has been made of Niebuhr, Bruce, and Vaillant. The imaginary adventures are carried on by the means of a physician, a geographer, a naturalist, an antiquary, a merchant, a hunter, a bon vivant, and some other less strongly marked characters, who become accidentally associated with Rolando. The plan is well conceived, but we do not think it executed in all respects with equal felicity. Instead of making these companions in travel harmoniously pursue their respective favourite inquiries, which would have given the author an opportunity of impressing the unexperienced mind with lively sense of the advantages obtained by general society, from the different

talents and tastes of different individuals, he has rather attributed to them the foibles and follies of the pretender, than the well-directed study and nice discri mination which characterise the man of real science. As he has drawn them they are the objects of ridicule, not of esteem; and the disputes in which they are perpetually made to engage, though too just a representation of that narrow. minded attachment to one branch of knowledge, and that sovereign contempt of almost all others, which so generally disgrace the literary world, are related in a manner which has not much, if any, tendency to remove the evil. We ready allow that the work, in this mode of conducting it, becomes more spirited and entertaining: for where is there an eye which, from the first dawn of childhood to the last glimmering twilight of old age, is not delighted with the exhibition of folly? And we are equally disposed to admit that what appears to us an im perfection in the execution of the design, may be easily remedied by a judicious parent or instructor, and may even be rendered the means of placing this com mon error in a stronger light, and of re commending a more liberal turn of mind with greater effect.

The translation is what comparatively few translations are, but what, as we have already stated, all books intended for young persons ought to be, remarkably pure and elegant; and with respect to the accuracy of the scientific terms, we are told that assistance has been ob tained from books and friends, which is not enjoyed by every translator. Asafa specimen of the spirit of the original and the style of the translation, we have extracted the following adventure of Mout val, the naturalist, somewhat abridged.

"Montval took advantage of our stay among that he proposed to carry to the Cape. He the lloutniquas, to increase the collection

asked the farmer a great many questions

pro

specting the natural productions of this country, and neglected no means of curing certain information of every thing that he desired to know. "Can you tell, he asked the good old mau, “whether f could be so fortunate as to find in this part a bird little known which lives on st pents?"

farmer." It is a bird equally considerabl "I am acquainted with it," replied the in size and remarkable in appearance. It of the height of a crane, and the bulk of turkey." Yes, at least so some author say: but I wish personally to assure myself

of the truth of this; for there is still a most embarrassing uncertainty attached to the natural history of this bird. Some ascribe to it the long, slender legs of a wading bird; thers give it the head of an eagle with the body of a crane or stork: some make it a id of vulture, others a kind of hawk. There are some even who give it the beak of the gallinaceous tribe. All these doubts bught at length to be cleared up; and for that urpose I must myself examine one of these zular birds. By what name is it known this country?”

-"The Dutch have given it the name of Secretary-bird, on account of a tuft of feahers on the back part of its head; for in Holland, when men of business are interupted at their writing, they stick their pen n their hair behind their right ear, which oks something like the crest of this bird: ot it is also known under the name of SlangTeeter, which means Serpent-eater."

"Montval continued to question the farmer, ho promised to take him the next day to a lace not far off, where he had sometimes twith secretary-birds:

"We must set out very early," said he," for is an extremely suspicious and cunning rd, and very difficult to catch. The fowler just employ stratagem to get near it. As it ually frequents one particular place, when has observed a bird that he likes, he must pair thither before day-break, conceal himif in a very thick bush, and remain there Iit offers itself in a favourable position to = shot.

Montval and the farmer accordingly toff early the next day, but after waitg for two hours to no purpose, the farer grew weary and left Montval alone, ho at length had the satisfaction to see secretary-bird engaged with a serpent; e battle was keen on both sides and e skill equal; but the bird was finally

torious.

"At this moment Montval, who had no ther observations to make, and ardently sired to possess himself of the bird, in orto study it with care, and make out a mplete description of it, fired a shot at it. thought at first that he had killed it, and to seize his prey; but just as he was ing to catch hold of it, the bird, which was ly wounded, rose upon its legs, and ran so swiftly that Montval could not keep up thit. Happily the bird stumbled, and the uralist ran to take advantage of the accit. He had already prepared to fire a seund shot, when he saw it take a flight, and ht upon an old tree at a little distance. outval approached on tip-toe with his gun inst his check, and six times made the cuit of the tree without discovering the peat-eater. He then thought of Le Vail, and found some resemblance between adventure and his own. He imagined

that the bird was mortally wounded, had expired as it alighted on the tree, and had lodged in one of the branches. Le Vaillant's adventure led him to doubt whether he should climb the tree or abandon his prey: but he soon reproached himself for making it a question; and calling up all his courage, and promising himself to be very expeditious, he attempted the ascent, which the thickness of the trunk and decay of the tree rendered a difficult enterprise. In order to succeed, Montval was obliged to lay down both his coat and gun at the foot of the tree, and avail himself of some knots and fissures in the stem, which appeared to be almost a hundred years old.

"When he had reached the forking of the tree, he rested a moment; for his exertions had been very violent. He then began to search for the bird in the thickest of the foliage, but was so unfortunate as not to find it. Quite discouraged at this ill success, after having exhausted every means of discovering his prey, and taken the trouble to shake every branch several times, he was on the point of coming down again, when he thought he heard something move in the trunk of the tree itself. He then perceived that this old trunk was hollow from top to bottom; and, listening, he heard a bird feebly fluttering its wings in the hole. He did not doubt that it was his secretary-bird: his heart beat with joy at having found it again; and consulting only his zeal for science, and shutting his eyes to every thing that might appear inconsiderate in such a step, he crept into the hollow of the tree, and there planted himself to seize the bird.

"Unhappily for Montval, the bird, though wounded, still retained great vigour in its claws and beak. The pain of its wound rendered it even still more formidable. Montits vital energy: it gave itself a violent shake, yal by attempting to lay hold of it roused all and clapped its wings with as much impetuosity as if it had had ten serpents to attack at once. Instantly the fleshy part of Montval's leg was assailed by its beak and talons in a manner which made him cry out londly, and his cramped position did not allow him to shun the attack. He then felt the necessity of defending himself, which he could only do with his feet. He hid his face with his hands to save his eyes, and unwillingly determined to resist force by force. He attacked the bird with kicks, the bird retorted with pecks. "No," cried Montval in the heat of the battle, no, that is nothing like the beak of the gallinaceous tribe; that is certainly a hawk's beak! The secretary-bird can never be of the stork genus; it must belong to the falcon; it is a bird of prey in the full force of the term! What a pity that I shall be forced to mangle it! I should have been so glad to have stuffed it, and preserved it uninjured!"

"Montval, though pinched and torn by the serpent-cater, felt, however, some satisfac

tion in assuring himself, in an unequivocal manner, of the true genus in which this bird ought to be placed; but, in proportion as the combat became warmer, and the bird multiplied its pecks and the naturalist his kicks, the latter insensibly yielded to a feeling of anger which overcame his wish of sparing his antagonist. He began to use his feet with such force and activity, that after a struggle of half an hour he succeeded in bringing the bird to extremity, and at length making it yield up its last breath. He then seized it by the neck, not without some remains of dread; and as he thought that its wings still retained a slight motion, listening only to the suggestions of anger and fear, he set his feet on the body of the bird, and, squeezing the neck with both his hands, endeavoured to strangle it. But the bird was already dead, and having received many wounds, its head easily came off, and remained in the hands of Montval,

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who was really distressed to see it. "It can do me no more harm," said be; but it is a lost bird; it can never figure with honour in a collection." As he spoke he began attentively to examine the head that he held, and observing its strong crooked beak, he agam exclaimed, No; this was never the beak of one of the gallinaceous tribe! It is a true falcon's beak, and it is in that genus that it is finally placed. Sonnerat, who gives ita gallinaceous bill, certainly never saw it."

66

"After Montval had determined the class in which the serpent-cater was to be placed, he began to seek for some means of getting ost of the hollow of the tree and carrying awar the bird with him; but he could find nose: and it was then that he became fully sensible of the imprudence he had committed in ges ting into it. He made the greatest efforts to climb up again, which answered no other end than to exhaust his strength."

ART. IV. The History of Domestic Quadrupeds,

with entertaining Anecdotes; adorari

with Plates. 12mo. pp. 135.

AS there is no branch of knowledge more attractive to the youthful mind than the natural history of the animal creation, so there is scarcely any other kind of book that has been provided for it in equal abundance and variety. The greater number of these are very far beneath mediocrity: few have a right to claim any considerable degree of merit. Of all species of composition, that which is suited to the comprehension of children is perhaps the most difficult. It requires a precision of thought, a clearness of arrangement, an easy simplicity, and elegant purity of expression, which are rarely obtained. The present work is in this respect superior to most which we have seen, and will prove an accepta ble addition to the juvenile library. Its author, thinking, we suppose, that his young readers should first be made acquainted with the natural history of those animals which they are most accustomed to see, has confined himself to what he calls domestic quadrupeds: but it is not easy to determine in what sense he uses the term. If we understand it in its common acceptation, the fox, the hedgehog, the hare and the bat should have been excluded. If, as seems to be the case, he thought it equivalent with indigenous, the badger, the polecat, weasel, martin, stoat, and otter should have been admitted. As far, however, as he has gone, he has shewn himself equal to the task which he has undertaken. His language is natural and pure, his descriptions plain and characteristic, his anecdotes well chosen, and his materials in general

taken from the best writers on the sub ject. We know not on what authority he gives the name of spiracle to the glandular pits or cavities beneath the eyes of the stag and fallow deer, and asserts that they are intended to produce a freer respiration. The French naturalists aptly call them larmiers, on a count of the yellowish fluid secreted from them, and sometimes copiously discharged when the animal is warmly pursued by the hunters, in our apprehen sion the real source of "the big round tears" which, as they are beautifully described by our unrivalled dramatic poet,

"Course one another down his innocent

• nose

"In piteous chase.”

In stating that animals of the cew! kind shed their horns at the age of three. years, and then, as in the case of the incisive teeth, renew them for life, Le has, like several other writers, been mas led by Buffon, not being aware that the great French naturalist retracted his err in the supplement to his Natural History. We could have wished that he had not, without full and decisive evidence, re vived the prejudice which has been fatal to so many poor hedgehogs. The eve dent marks of its attempts to suck co which he tells us he has seen, may i ought that appears have been owing to some other cause: and unless he has taken the little urchin in the fact, ought not to believe that "it has an stinctive taste for a pursuit," in whic from the smallness of its mouth, it is

scarcely possible for it to succeed. We are also sorry to observe, that he has not passed over the sensual passion of the stag, and the salaciousness of the goat.

In a work designed for children, nothing should be introduced which cannot with propriety be fully explained.

ART. V. The General Character of the Dog; illustrated by a Variety of original and interesting Anecdotes of that beautiful and useful Animal, in Prose and Verse. By JOSEPH TAYLOR. 8vo. pp. 187.

FROM the days of Homer to the present time, the dog has been the favourite companion and assistant of mankind; and in every age numerous instances have been related of his sagacity, Edelity and affection. Mr. Taylor has endeavoured to collect whatever has been said on the subject, old or new, credible or incredible. His compilation soften amusing but we have been in come doubt under what head of our work t ought to be classed. Had it been onducted in such a manner as to make treading for men, we should certainly ave placed it among our articles of atural history; but in its actual form is more fitted to become a school-book or children; though even with that sigament we are not perfectly satisfied. stead of that easy, natural style which ould be a sine quâ non in works of at description, it displays a motley ixture of affected elevation and real lgarism, and is more likely to produce vicious than a correct taste. By stretchgevery incident to the utmost extent the marvellous, it has, moreover, a dency to mislead the judgment of the arner, and to make him pleased with thing which does not overstep the desty of nature. That dogs are cable of forming, and are often governed associations which almost raise them

to a level with their lords and masters, who glory in the privileges of "discourse and reason," we have no inclination to deny. But when a foresight is attributed to them which is nothing short of miraculous, and which man himself cannot obtain without direct inspiration from Heaven, we are not merely in danger of becoming sceptics, but freely avow ourselves fixed and entire unbelievers. When, for instance, we are told of one dog that penetrated into the secret design of a servant to rob his mistress; of another, that he had gained a complete knowledge of a long complicated system of plunder and murder, and manifested an anxious solicitude to save the life of a master, who he well understood had ordered him to be hanged, and from whose house he had fled solely on that account; of a third, that foreknew the fall of a building which no one else suspected; and of a fourth, who, to repay the hospitable kindness of a cook, in the kitchen of one of his master's friends, brought a duck which he had accideally picked up, and which, as he did not find it in a private pond, he probably concluded not to be private propertythe incredulus odi of the poet rushes into our minds, and the book drops from our hands.

T. VI. Stories for Children; intended to be read or recited to them in the early Peiods of Infancy; being the first Part of a Series of Amusement and Instruction, adapted to the progressive Stages of early Life. By ANABELLA PLUMPTRE.

PP. 132.

WE cannot better recommend these ries, than by saying that we have read eral of them to children of four or

RT. VII.

15mo.

five years old, who were much amused whilst they listened to them.

A Wreath for the Brow of Youth. By W. M. CRAIG.
PP. 168.

THIS volume is very beautifully
nted by Bulmer: it contains a num-
of little tales, chiefly oriental, com-
ed by the author with the view of
wing that there is no happiness but in
exercise of virtue and piety, and

8vo.

that there is nothing but disappointment and misery in the practice of vice. We cannot compliment Mr. Craig on the execution of his task, conceiving, as we do, that these tales are not very likely to interest or inform children. The mo

rality inculcated by them is unexception- numerous engravings, very nicely exeable, and the different incidents are en- cuted on wood. deavoured to be rendered impressive by

ART. VIII. A Summary of Ancient History, from the earliest Ages to the Dissolution of the Roman Empire, A. D. 476, &c. 12mo. pp. 344.

THIS is a very respectable compilation for the use of schools; the language is correct and inartificial, and as much information concerning the manners, and customs, and characters of the principal nations of antiquity is here given,

as could well have been comprised within the same small compass. A geographi cal index is added, describing the situa tion of the several countries, cities, rivers, and mountains, the names of which oc cur in the history.

ART. IX. Letters of Consolation and Advice from a Father to his Daughter, on the Death of her Sister. 12mo. pp. 184.

EVERY topic of consolation which religion can suggest is here enforced by a mourning father to his mourning child. These letters were written immediately on the death of a virtuous and beloved

daughter; and the employment doubtless contributed to soften the severity of the shock. They will be read with advantage and instruction.

ART. X. A Visit to a Farm House; or an Introduction to various Subjects connected with rural Economy. Embellished with Plates. By S. W.

CHILDREN of seven or eight years old will be amused by this little book: those who live in the country will have their attention excited towards the vari

ous objects which surround them; and they who reside in cities will derive information on subjects to which their personal observation cannot extend.

ART. XI. Tabart's Collection of Popular Stories for the Nursery: newly translated and revised from the French, Italian, and old English Writers. 18mo.

WE have seen three parts of this collection, at the price of half-a-crown each; the tales are very well told; the language is tolerably correct, and the style appropriate. Nevertheless we feel some hesitation in recommending the

work in its present state. Many stories from Mother Bunch are inserted, which are more calculated to terrify children than amuse them: we advise Mr. Tabart rather to make a selection than a colle tion.

ART. XII. The Book of Trades, or Library of Useful Arts. Illustrated with Copper

Plates. 18mo.

WE have seen three parts of this collection also, and give them our unqualified approbation. Forty or fifty trades are described in them briefly and agree

ably; the different implements made use of are also explained, and to the account of each trade is prefixed a little illustrative engraving.

ART. XIII. An Introduction to Mr. Byrom's Universal English Short-hand, Se.. By T. MOLINEUX.

MR. Byrom's Treatise on Short-hand has long been celebrated, and his system is very generally adopted. Mr. Molineux has rendered the acquisition of this system easy, and the public has express ed its approbation of his abridgment by

ART. XIV. The Telescope; or WITHOUT some explanation, chil. dren perhaps might not understand the allegory which introduces these stories,

calling for a third edition of it, in which Mr. Molineux has encreased the original number of examples, and engraved spe cimens from eleven to twenty. They are very neatly executed.

Moral Views for Children. 18mo.
but with the stories themselves they are
very likely to be amused.

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