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gance and vigor. When, in the course of narration, a writer is obliged to enumerate the authors of successive improvements, where his limits will not allow him to detail the improvements themselves, it is almost impossible, that the same modes of expression should not frequently recur, and disgust or weary the ear of the reader. We think, the author of the present work has in general guarded against this monotony of phrase, and, by the variety of his expression, has preserved the spirit of his detail, even in the most barren passages.

It is not one of the smallest excellencies of these volumes, that they exhibit the first regular survey of American literature. This was a field desolate before and unoccupied. If the present retrospect should enfeeble the prejudices of a single European, or if, by opening an interesting view of the present state of learning, it should enlarge the comprehension, awaken the ambition, encourage the industry, or give a spring to the energies of the youthful American student, the author will reap that high reward of his industry, which benevolence only can enjoy.

A second part, including the history of the Christian church, is promised, if these volumes should be well received.

THE AMERICAN GAZETTEER, exhibiting a full account of the civil divisions, rivers, harbours, Indian tribes, &c. of the American continent, also of the West India and other appendant islands; with a particular description of Louisiana; compiled from the best authorities, by JEDIDIAH MORSE, D.D. A. A. S. S. H. S.; illustrated with maps. Second edition, revised, corrected, and enlarged. Charlestown, Mass. 8vo. bound; 1804.

WORKS of this kind are not only convenient»and useful,

but highly necessary to almost every class in society. They abridge the labor of particular examination, and afford incalculable assistance to a reader of geography and history. As

they are not defigned for simple perusal, but to be occasionally consulted, as undoubted authorities, it is proper, that the public become acquainted with the credit due to such works, and know how far to place confidence in them, as authorities. An author's personal observation can extend to but few of the facts, he relates; the public therefore naturally expect some information of the sources, whence facts and assistance have been obtained.

This second edition of the American Gazetteer our author

has greatly enriched from various sources. His industry and exertions appear to have been commensurate with the importance of the undertaking. In addition to various helps, derived from books and maps, published since the first edition, and extensive literary correspondence, Doctor Morse has, in the revision of this edition, received great and valuable assistance from his literary friend, the Rev. Elijah Parish, A. M. his partner in the compilation of the second volume of the Gazetteer. Our author informs us in his preface, that one reason among others for engaging the assistance of this gentleman was that "of increasing the value of the work by the aid of his extensive researches into subjects of this nature, and of his peculiar talent in condensing the substance of large volumes into a small compass."

From a simple gazetteer little may be expected by some, beside topographical description. The author however of such a work has a favorable opportunity of conveying to his readers many interesting facts in the various departments of art and science, of blending lively description with more tedious narrative, and, by incidental sketches, to direct the attention to some important object. This opportunity we think our author has justly embraced, and succeeded to a degree, highly honorable to his judgment and abilities.

In addition to sufficiently copious, and, so far, as we have discovered, very accurate topographical descriptions, we find much useful information interspersed through the work. To point out some of the principal traits, by which the reader may have a general view of its execution, will be our aim.

In the article Balltown, New York, the natural history of the medicinal springs in that place is particularly noticed. Our author thus describes the situation, nature, and effect of these waters.

“The springs are found in the bottom of a valley or excavation, forming a kind of bason of about 50 acres in extent. The soil for half a dozen miles in some directions round this place is poor and sandy, producing little else, than pine trees, shrub oaks, fern, and mullen. In the hills in the vicinity ores have been found, especially iron and copper, or rather what the mineralogists call ferruginous and capreous pyrites. The medicinal waters, which have

made this place so famous of late, are remarkably limpid, considering, they contain iron, a mineral alkali, common salt, and lime. They are brisk and sparkling like champaign. In drinking they affect the head and palate, like bottled cider, and slightly affect the head of some people by their inebriating quality. They derive this exhilarating quality from what Doctor Priestly calls fixed air, and is that animating something, which gives activity of yeast, and life to malt liquors. The ignorant people see with astonishment, that a candle will not burn near the surface of these waters. Fish and frogs are killed in a few minutes. These waters boil with a very moderate degree of heat; they are nevertheless remarkably cold; for when the mercury in Farenheit's thermometer stood at 86° in the open air, and 79° in the brook running near the spring, it ftood, in one of the mineral springs at 49°, and in the other, at 51°. The first was constantly secluded from the rays of the sun; the last always exposed without a covering."

We have extracted those observations only, which more particularly relate to their natural history.

Our

Their medicinał uses, with some other important particulars, we omit. proposed limits prevent us from extracting so much, as we wish. Some articles, worthy of particular notice, are too lengthy to transcribe, and also incapable of receiving justice from an extract. To such places, after mentioning their general traits, we must refer the reader.

Charlestown, Mass. Here may be found an instance of various and useful information, collected in a short article, and related with pleasing brevity, unattended by obscurity.

Chepawyans. Our author has given us a lively and interesting description of this tribe of American Indians, their customs, superstitions, religious faith, &c. We extract the following account of their religious belief.

They believe, the globe was once an entire ocean, no creature living then, except one great bird, whose eyes were fire, whose glances were lightning, the clapping of whose wings was thunder. This bird descended to the ocean, the earth rose to the surface: He called all the animals into existence. He made the Chepawyans from a dog, formed an arrow, which he gave them to preserve, but they carried it away, which so provoked the omnipotent, that he has not appeared since. They have a strong impression of the longevity of mankind in the early ages of the world. They say, that, in ancient times, their ancestors lived till their feet were worn out by walking, and their throats with eating. They also, like other nations in every quarter of the earth, give in their testimony to support the Mosaic history. They describe a deluge, which covered the whole earth, except the highest mountains, on which they were preserved. They believe, that immediately after death, they pass into another world, where they, in a stone canoe, embark on a large river, which bears them into a great lake, in view of a delightful island. Here they are judged according to the deeds done in the body, and receive a sentence of everlasting reward or misery. If their good actions predominate, they are landed on the island, where they riot in endless pleasures. If their wicked actions weigh down the balance, their canoe sinks, they are buried to their chins in water, where they forever remain, gazing with envy and anguish at the happy island, forever struggling, but never able to reach the blissful shore."

The above specimen of descriptive style we think peculiarly excellent; and the facts, it discloses, not unimportant. Further interesting information concerning savage manners, &c. our readers will find in the articles Northern Indians, North West coast of America.

Guayaquil, a city of Peru, in South America. From this article we extract the following natural history of the turbine.

"This place is most noted for a shell fish, called turbine, no bigger, than a nut, which produces a purple reckoned to exceed all others in the world, and to vie with that of the Tyrians. It is called the purple of Punta, a place in the jurisdiction of Guayaquil. With this valuable and scarce purple, they dye the threads of cotton, ribbands, laces, &c. and the weight and color are said to exceed according to the hour of the day, so that one of the first preliminaries to a contract is to settle the time, when it shall be weighed. The dye is only the blood of the fish, pressed out by a particular process, and the cotton so dyed is called, by way of eminence, caracollilo.”

Louisiana. This part of North America has lately become a subject of general inquiry, and information respecting it highly interesting. Our author appears with laborious research to have collected, and with due impartiality to have

recorded almost every thing known, even with tolerable certainty concerning Louisiana. He has, in every instance, carefully noted his authorities, thereby furnishing data, concerning the truth and importance of which different conclusions may be drawn. We scruple not to assert, that the reader will discover in this article more information respecting this part of the United States, than can be found collected and arranged in any other work. Our author's account of Louisiana comprises 16 finely printed, large, octavo. pages, treating of its history, boundaries, general divisions, rivers, minerals, salt waters, climate, subdivisions, population, fortifications, Indians, cultivation of sugar, imports, exports, manufactures, navigation, and church.

Our author has judiciously selected and inserted in various parts of this work descriptions of curiosities, both natural and artificial. He has not recorded those, which are calculated only to excite the wonder of ignorance, but those, from which useful conclusions may be drawn, or which serve to illustrate some important facts. From a large number, inter

spersed through the volume, we select the following only. Rutland, Mass. In this article we find mentioned a curious fact, by which the height of land between two large rivers is ascertained.

"From a barn in this town the water, which drops from the eastern side of the roof, runs to the Merrimack, and that, which falls from the western side, runs to the Connecticut.

It has long been the opinion of many, that the Americans had been in a state of much higher civilization, than they were found by Columbus and succeeding travellers. Many modern discoveries favor this opinion. Of this kind we find a discovery mentioned in the article,

Wall Subterraneous, from which we extract the following. "About the year 1795 a remarkable wall was discovered in the neighborhood of Salisbury, in North Carolina. Its direction is nearly N. W. and S. E. Its top is at unequal distances below the surface of the earth; though it generally rises, as the surface rises, and sinks, as it sinks. A pit has been dug beside the wall, to the depth of 27 feet, but no appearance of its termination downwards. The thickness is uniformly the same, viz. 2 feet. Its length has not been ascertained; but, from the place, where the pit has been sunk,

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