The

tried at Columbo to ascertain the reality of this circumstance. Ichneumon, procured for the purpose, was first shewn the Snake in a close room. On being let down to the ground, he did not discover any inclination whatever to attack his enemy, but ran prying about the room to discover if there was any hole or aperture by which he might get out. On finding none, he returned hastily to his master, and placing himself in his bosom, could not by any means be induced to quit it, or face the Snake. On being carried out of the house, however, and laid down near his antagonist in an open place, he instantly flew at the Snake, and soon destroyed it. He then suddenly disappeared for a few minutes, and again returned as soon as he had found the herb and eat of it. This useful instinct impels the animal to have recourse to the herb on all occasions, where it is engaged with a Snake, whether poisonous or not. The one employed in this experiment was of the harmless kind, and procured for the purpose.'

It is to be wished that the author had specified the plant in question, (especially as it is afterward stated to be an antidote to the very active poison of the cobra de capello,) and that he had ascertained whether the animal has recourse to it only en being bitten by a Snake.

In his account of the Musk-rats, Mr. P. asserts that many articles are rendered entirely useless by the smell of musk which they communicate in merely running over them. For it is a certain fact, that of so penetrating a nature is their effluvia, that if they even pass over a bottle of wine ever so well corked and sealed up, it becomes so strongly tainted with musk that it cannot be used; and a whole cask may be rendered useless in the same manner.'

The birds of Ceylon include all our domestic poultry, except the Turkey; most of the species of feathered tribes which frequent our woods and marshes; and not a few that are peculiar to warm latitudes.

• Among a great variety of smaller birds, we particularly distin guish the Honey-bird. It is so called from a particular instinct by which it discovers the honey concealed in trees. As if designed for the service of the human species, this bird continues to flutter about and make a great noise till it has attracted the notice of some person, and induced him to follow the course it points out to him. It then flutters before him, till it has led him to the tree where the bees have lodged their treasure. The man then carries off the honey, leaving a little for the use of the bird, which silently and contentedly watches till it is permitted to enjoy its reward. As soon as it has eaten up its portion, it renews its noise, and goes in quest of another tree, followed by the man, who finds a guide here provided for him by

nature.

• The Tailor-bird is particularly remarkable for the art with which it constructs its nest. This bird is of a yellow colour, not exceeding three inches in length, and slender in proportion. To prevent the

14

possibility

possibility of its little nest being shaken down, it contrives to attach it in such a manner to the leaves of the tree, that both must stand or fall together. The nest is formed of leaves which it picks up from the ground: and it contrives, by means of its slender bill and some fine fibres, which it uses as needle and thread, to sew these leaves to those growing on the tree with great dexterity. Hence it receives the name of the Tailor-bird. The lining, which consists of down, adds little to the weight of the nest, which is scarcely felt on the twig that supports it.'

The Swallows, of the same species with ours, never quit the island.

Serpents and insects are extremely numerous, to the great anuoyance of the inhabitants: but the existence of the Coura manilla, which is represented as even more dreadful than the Capello, may perhaps be doubted. The Rock-snake measures from 20 to 30 feet in length, and is about the thickness of a man's thigh: but it is perfectly free from poison.-The woods and swampy grounds, especially during the rainy season, are grievously infested with a minute species of Leech, which is sometimes the cause of a man's bleeding to death.-Ants of various descriptions, particularly the white species, the black Scorpion, whose sting is frequently mortal, and the Centipede, which first bites and then stings, are likewise in the list of There is, moreover, an immense Spider vexatious vermin. found here, with legs not less than four inches long, and having the body covered with thick black hair. The webs which it makes are strong enough to entangle and hold even small birds, which form its usual prey.'

The lakes and rivers abound in fish: but no particular kind is mentioned, except the Mullet.-In the succeeding passage, we suspect some mis-statement:

One circumstance has often struck me with astonishment, that in every pond or muddy pool, casually supplied with rain water, or even only recently formed, and entirely unconnected with any other water, swarms of fishes are continually found. The only explanation which it appears possible to give of this phenomenon, is that the spawn is by some unknown process carried up with the rain into the skies, and then let down with it upon the earth in a condition immediately to become alive.'

We should be glad to know whether no spawn of any kind was deposited prior to the rain, when shallow water perhaps existed on the same spots; whether no superficial nor subterraneous communication could be traced with lakes or rivers, and the connecting canals speedily dried up by the powerful evaporation which prevails in tropical climates; or whether the supposed fishes were not Tadpoles or Water-lizards.

An

An enumeration of the vegetable productions of this island would present us with most of the fruits and plants which are found in similar latitudes. Of the Mango, one of the most delicious of Indian fruits, it is observed that no two, plucked from the same tree, resemble each other in taste and fla

vour.

A species of Palm, denominated the Sugar-tree, is found in several parts of the island:

On cutting off the flower and making an incision in the place from which it sprung, a juice distils which by a slight process of boiling and straining yields as good a sugar as that extracted from the cane, and far superior to the jaggery. The commercial advantages to be derived from the proper cultivation of this plant need not be insisted upon; and experiments will no doubt speedily be made to ascertain whether this tree might not be made a substitute to the cane.

But it is not sugar alone that Ceylon seems destined to afford to the general use of the Western world; the Tea-plant has also been discovered native in the forests of this island. I have in my possession a letter from an officer in the 80th regt. wherein he states that he had found the real tea plant in the woods of Ceylon, of a quality equal to any that ever grew in China; and that it was in his power to point out to Government the means of cultivating it in a proper manner. The vast advantages to be derived from the cultivation of the tea-plant in our own dominions ought at least to prompt a speedy and vigorous experiment on the subject.

The most beautiful species of the Falm kind which Ceylon produces is the Talipot-tree. This tree is very rare in other parts of India, and seems a peculiar blessing bestowed by Providence on this island. It grows very tall and straight: the wood is hard, and veined with yellow, and is employed in carpenters' work. The Talipot bears a large yellow flower, which, when ripe, bursts with a loud noise, and diffuses a disagreeable and unwholesome smell. It is on this account that the natives will not place their huts near it. The fruit is of a round form, and about the size of a cannon-ball: it contains two nuts of the same shape. But it is from its leaves that the talipot derives its high estimation. These hang downwards from the top, and present a most elegant and grand appearance. The leaf is completely circular, terminating in the most beautiful rays; it folds up into plaits like a fan, which in figure it nearly resembles. In size and thickness it completely surpasses always all other leaves. The breadth of the diameter is from three to four feet, and the length and thickness is in proportion it is large enough to cover ten men from the inclemency of the weather. It is made into umbrellas of all sizes, and serves equally to protect the natives against the intolerable rays of the sun, and the rains which at particular seasons deluge their country. As it is of such an impenetrable texture as to defy either the sun or the monsoon, it affords a shelter even more secure than their huts. During the violent rains it is not unusual to see the natives prop up one end of a talipot leaf with a stick two or three feet long, and then creep under it for protection.

The

The Banyan tree, or, as it is frequently called the Indian fig-tree, is a native of Ceylon. It bears no fruit nor blossom, but grows to an immense size, and has some striking peculiarities in its appearance. It first rises to a great height in the air, and then drops its branches downwards. A vast number of roots are then observed to shoot forth from the lower extremities of the branches, where they continue suspended like icicles, till they at last fasten themselves in the earth. From these roots new shoots spring up, which in their turn become trees, and strike their branches into the ground. A whole grove is thus formed from one original stock; and the arches formed by the branches and the numerous interwoven shoots, come in time to have actually the appearance of grottos and excavations. The circumference of the grove arising from one stock has frequently been known to extend to several hundred feet.

It is no wonder that the admirable shelter afforded by this noble tree should have pointed it out to the particular veneration of the inhabitants of the torrid zone. Indeed, without the assistance of its impenetrable shade, it is almost impossible that the numerous ceremonies enjoined by their superstition could have been at all performed. It is here therefore that we find the Brahmins and the devotees of their religion continually celebrating their rites. The pagodas are usually erected in the neigbourhood of this friendly shade, as well as the choultries prepared for the accommodation of the weary traveller. It is common for the Indian to take up his abode under this tree, and to remain stretched at his ease in the shade while every thing exposed to the rays of the sun is scorched with the intolerable heat."

An interesting chapter is devoted to an account of the Cinnamon tree; and some important general hints are suggested with regard to the improvement of its culture.

The chapter on Mineralogy slightly notices about twenty sorts of precious stones, the existence of lead, tin, and iron ores, (which are not worked,) a small mine of quicksilver, and the hot wells of Cannia, of which the negative properties are sufficiently numerous.

The journal of the embassy to Candy presents little that is worthy of notice, which may not be found in the body of the work.

More than a century has elapsed since Captain Knox, who was detained a prisoner during nineteen years on the island of Ceylon, gave (to use the language of Robert Hooke) a taste of his observations, in which most readers, though of very different gusts, may find somewhat very pleasant to their pallat. Knox, in fact, sprinkled his history with some traits of the marvellous: but he wrote with naiveté, and collected many curious particulars, which the present writer has exhibited in a more modish form. If inclined to be hypercritical, we might also require of Mr. P. a more natural and obvious arrangement of his materials; the suppression of a few repetitions; more liveliness of

relation;

relation; and a guarantee against maltreating the purity and accuracy of the English language. We feel, however, sincere satisfaction in assuring our readers, that we have seldom perused a publication more replete with solid information, detailed in a clear and unaffected manner; and that the few remarks, which are interspersed in the narrative, are dictated by good sense, naturally arise out of the subject, and are directed to the welfare of an extensive settlement.

ART. III. Annotations on the Practical Part of Dr. Paley's " Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy." By Edward Pearson, B.D. Rector of Rempstone, Nottinghamshire. 8vo. pp. 163. 5s. Boards. Rivingtons.

HOW

ow much soever philosophers may differ in stating the foundation of Moral Obligation, (a subject which was ably discussed in Mr. Pearson's "Remarks on the Theory of Morals +;") yet, as they universally admit that such Obligation exists, it is of more importance to consider the system of duty in detail, than to speculate on the abstract principle. Granting the basis of Morality to be the Will of God, it still becomes a question what that Will in all cases requires; and though we have the light of Revelation superadded to that of Reason, ethical writers are not agreed in their practical precepts. Dr. Paley's work, intitled "Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy," has obtained sufficient reputation to become a text-book in the Universities; and Mr. Pearson used it for that purpose in giving a course of Lectures to the Students of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge: but, in the volume before us, we find that he no more uniformly subscribes to all the practical, than in his preceding publication he assented to all the theoretical, parts of Dr. Paley's treatise. He has no wish, however, to detract from the general merit of this performance; for he remarks that, as it was said of Socrates that he brought down Philosophy from the sacred abodes of the Gods to dwell with men on earth; so in like manner, it may be truly faid of Dr. Paley, that he has brought Philosophy from the retreat of the learned into the walks of common life, and almost to the cradles of the young.' Still he deems him open to objections; and in these Annotations, which must be regarded as notes to the text-book, he has furnished a kind of supplement to Dr. Paley,

We have sometimes suspected that our author submitted his MS. to the revision of a friend beyond the Tweed.

+ See M. Rev. Vol. xxxiv. N. S. p. 41.

Ibid. Vol. lxxiii. pp. 133.401.