and so more than almost starved, that he was compelled to pass the night in the fields, where he had some hairbreadth escapes from men and brutes. Risum teneatis amici!

Had Mr. Bristed's book been absurd only, we should scarcely have honoured him thus far; but, as we consider it to be a mischievous publication, it is our duty to point it out as such, lest it may fall into the hands of youth and innocence. This "Tour," with "Critical and Philosophical Essays,"" Anthropaideia," and "The Adviser," all mischievous and philosophistical works, are all from the same pens; viz. those of MESSRS. BRISTED and COWAN; and one of the views, in publishing the Tour, was unquestionably that of puffing the latter performances. Another grand object was, to misrepresent the state of society in Scotland, to exhibit the lower classes there as in the worst state of misery from oppression; and, consequently to create discontent, and to exalt the laws and government of America, at the expence of those, not only of this, but of every other country in the world. We shall only add, that the adventures which Mr. Bristed has recorded, are related in a vulgar, nauseating style, abounding in filthy images and descriptions.

TRAVELLERS.

THERE is nothing that contributes so much to the increase of knowledge, and to the promotion of science, as the researches of able and learned men in remote regions. By them we become acquainted with foreign manners and customs; by them we learn to appreciate the merits, and to meliorate the defects of our own institutions; and thus a higher degree of civilization is obtained, and the happiness of man is increased.

At an early period of our labours*, we had the pleasure of noticing MR. BARROW, as an author to whom

* Vide Introduction to Vol. I. of the "Flowers of Litera ure."

England was much indebted, for his researches in the interior of Southern Africa. It is with much satisfaction that we now record the appearance of a second volume of those interesting and valuable travels. This relates principally to the colony of the Cape of Good Hope, and the circumstances and character of the colonists. Mr. Barrow is a staunch and able advocate for our holding possession of the Cape; and, as but few men have had equal opportunities of forming an opinion on the subject, his arguments must be allowed to possess commensurate weight.

CAPTAIN PERCIVAL'S "Account of the Cape of Good Hope +," contains an historical view of its original settlement by the Dutch, its capture by the British, in 1795, and the different policy which has been pursued there by the Dutch and British governments. Unlike Mr. Barrow, however, he does not enter into a description of the interior parts of the country, but confines himself to an account of the manners, customs, disposition, and policy, of the inhabitants of Cape Town and its immediate vicinity. The importance of the Cape, considered in a commercial, military, and political point of view, is fully discussed; a sketch of its geography, productions, &c. is presented; and, on the whole, the work is extremely interesting.

This gentleman (Capt. P.) had previously acquired considerable celebrity as a writer, by his "Account of the Island of Ceylon." He had resided three years in that island; and, by having particularly directed his attention to the best means of acquiring information, was enabled to present a very elaborate and interesting description thereof. His account includes the history of the island, natural and civil; describes its geographical boundaries; expatiates on its military, political, and commercial importance; and exhibits a view of the manners and customs of its various inhabitants.

To Mr. Barrow, who acted as private secretary to the Earl of Macartney, during his embassy to the Emperor of China, the public are also indebted for some

* Vide Notices, p. 465.

+ Vide Notices, p. 447.

Vide the Vol. for 1802-3.

1

interesting remarks on that country. The late SIR GEORGE STAUNTON presented the world with the more prominent particulars of his lordship's embassy; but Mr. B. has furnished us with a variety of new and important facts, which were foreign from the plan and views of the former writer, to whose splendid work the present may be considered as a valuable supplement. Their jealousy of foreigners, and the high opinion which they entertain of their own consequence, have uniformly induced the Chinese to avoid all intercourse with other nations, so that their country has not been, to this day, fully explored; consequently, though Mr. Barrow's situation enabled him to perform much, it has not been in his power to exhibit so full and correct information respecting China as we possess of almost every other country. He has, however, corrected many errors, and exploded many fallacies of former writers, and has materially increased our previous stock of knowledge. Among other gratifying circumstances, it is fully established, in contradiction to some former statements, that the British embassy was honoured with more respect and attention than were ever paid by the Chinese to any foreign nation.

A translation, at a very moderate price, from the German, of PALLAS's "Travels through the Southern Provinces of the Russian Empire +," has been given to the British public. PALLAS's work, which had for some time been in high estimation among the learned, contains a considerable portion of miscellaneous information; but it will be found peculiarly acceptable to the student of physical geography and natural history.

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, esq. the American minister at Berlin, and eldest son of the late president of the United States of America, has published a volume of "Letters on Silesia ‡," witten, during a tour through that country, in the years 1800 and 1801, to his brother at Philadelphia.

"Travels in China," &c. Vide Notices, p. 465.

By the writer of this Introduction, vide the Vol. for 1802-3. The translation has been completed since that period.. Vide Notices, p. 457.

The object which the author appears to have proposed to himself was, to give an accurate description of the agriculture, manufactures, commerce, morals, and manners, of the people of Silesia; but it is a remarkable circumstance, that, though the title-page of the work leads us to expect an accurate description of the agriculture of that duchy, no such description is given. The manufactories of Silesia seem chiefly to have attracted Mr. Adams's attention; but his account of them is not remarkable either for accuracy or distinctness. His remarks on the commerce and manners of the Silesians are extremely brief. The volume, however, contains a respectable summary sketch of the geography and history of Silesia, with a detail of its political constitution, civil, military, and ecclesiastical establishments, seminaries of education, literature, &c.

In our view of literature for 1802-1803, we had occasion to notice a variety of works descriptive of the capital of France, and of the manner of the Parisians*. The subject, however, was not then exhausted; for our countryman, HOLCROFT, subsequently published two splendid quarto volumes, illustrative of the customs, habits, and manners of the subjects of Buonaparte+. The contents of e these volumes are so multitudinous and varied, as scarcely to admit of any analysis. They abound in anecdotes, exhibit much pertinence of remark, and, on the whole, present a rich fund of amusement, blended with some useful information.

DR. MACLEAN, in his "Excursion in France;" affects to offer some observations on the actual state of that country; but his information is so extremely scanty, and his remarks are so wholly devoid of origi nality or interest, that his performance is scarcely deserving of notice.

DR. WITTMAN, as an Englishman, was highly pro

* Vide p. 71, of the Introduction to Vol. II. of the "Flowers of Literature."

+ Travels from Hamburg, through Westphalia, and the Netherlands, to Paris; with an imperial folio atlas of plates, Vide Notices, p. 465.

+" Travels in Turkey," Vide Notices, p. 465.

tected by the Turkish government, and consequently had better opportunities, than most travellers have, to observe the natives of that country, and to collect from them the most useful and important information. His want of method has subjected him to frequent and tedious repetitions; but it must be admitted, that the form and manner of his journal have enabled him to record facts with great precision; and more accurate notions of the countries through which he travelled may be collected from it, than from the more methodical narratives of former travellers.

MR. PINKERTON, who has been eagerly attached to the study of geography from his early years, has, with eminent felicity, contributed much to our useful knowledge of the globe, and has produced a more perfect system of geography than has yet appeared in any other language; for, in that department of literature, the Spaniards and Italians have been dormant; the French have been too brief, and the Germans too voluminous, so as to bewilder, fatigue, and disgust the reader.

KARAMSIN, a lively, entertaining northern traveller*, would excite disgust in the judicious reader, by a maw→ kish strain of sentimentality and universal philanthropy, were not that sentiment checked by the conviction, that it proceeds not from affectation, but is the genuine effusion of an ardent imagination, cherished by the generous feelings of a youthful heart. Mr. K. cer tainly sat down to write what he thought, and not, like most modern travellers, to think what he should write. It is to be regretted, that he has not preserved himself from inaccurate statements and misrepresentations, chiefly in his picture of England and English manners; but when his mind shall have been more matured, and his judgment corrected by study and observation, he will be enabled to instruct those readers whom he now only seeks to amuse. He, however, merits our thanks for affording to Englishmen, in their land of beef steaks, mist, and smoke, a considerable

* M. KARAMSIN, a native of Russia, performed his tour before he had attained his twenty-fifth year.