but it must be remembered, that the defects of a work, of fuch fterling merit, are of extenfive and formidable operation. Errors which might have passed without obfervation in an ephemeral production, call for ferious reprobation when they appear incorpo rated with a fyftem which promises to effect a change in the fcience of which it treats. We fhould be glad, indeed, that this difagreeable part of our tafk might terminate with these animadverfions; but, however we may admire the fagacity and precifion with which M. Haüy has difcuffed individual fpecies, we cannot yield the fame unqualified approbation, to his geological fpeculations. A flight examination of them will convince our readers, that M. Hauy is merely a mineralogist of the cabinet; that he is unacquainted with the magnificent arrangement of mountains; and that, from inexperience, he is incapable of comprehending the vast details of their construction, of developing their relations, and tracing the transitions which form the links of their union. The geologist who is accustomed to the examination of mountains, who is informed of the variety of ftructure which is exhibited, and the complexity of gradations that may be traced in examining the grand features of the conftituent maffes of the earth, will not be a little aftonished to find all rocks huddled into an appendix. Overpowered by the immenfity and novelty of these contemplations, and bewildered by diverfities of afpect, M. Haüy has loft fight of the order which pervades the arrangement of mountains; he has perplexed himfelf with ideal irregularities, and has introduced into his defcriptions of rocks, a confufion which only exifts in his own ideas. Aware of his own inexperience in this department of the fcience, M. Haüy folicited the aid of the illuftrious Dolomieu, and informs us, that he has been guided by the lights of this fagacious obferver. In this part of the work, however, we have found errors and inconüiftencies, that cannot poffibly be imputed to that eminent geologist, fo diftinguished for accuracy of obfervation, and luminous arrangement of facts. In the examination of their ftructure, rocks may be divided into fimple and aggregate. Simple rocks have generally been confidered a species in mineralogical fyftems, and the components of aggregates have been individually examined. A with to render all the fpecies he permitted to hold a place in his fyitem, as precie as poible, has induced M. Hally to reject every thing that appeared ill defined; and, imagining Emple rocks to be fufceptible of great variety in their compofition, he has almost entirely excluded them. It appears to us, that, in fome infances, he has allowed this principle to conduct him too far; and that, in others, he has fhrunk from the confequences which must have refulted from its rigorous extention. Had this rule been strictly ad hered hered to, limeftone must have been excluded from the syster, as its contaminations are numerous and variable; yet we find all its combinations admitted, and their compofition detailed with, confiderable accuracy. Jafper ought to have been equally rejected; fince it is only a contamination of quartz, and coniticutes. rocks, as irregular in compofition, and as much perplexed with, tranfitions, as any rock M. Haüy has placed in his appendix. It is difficult to conceive, on what principles thefe have been admitted, when ferpentine was excluded; efpecially as M. Haüy exprefsly fays, it has the fame relation to talc, that limettone has to calcareous fpar. We find petrofilex in the appendix of fubftances imperfectly known, and there it is perhaps properly enough placed; for we believe there is no one fubftance whofe compofition is more various. The Germans have confounded a' variety of quartz with petrofilex, under the name of hornftone. This affociation is most improper. The firft is found in mineral veins, and forming bands, veins, and nodules, in fecondary limeftone: it is totally infufible. The other forms veins and ftrata in primitive rock, is frequently the bafis of porphyry, and is always more or lefs fufible. We are obliged to M. Hauy for carefully avoiding to confound thefe fubftances, though we are far from agreeing with him in the fuppofed identity of petrofilex and compact feldfpar. We fearched through the collection of rocks, in vain, for the filicious fchiftus, or lapis lydius of the Germans, which seem to have been totally overlooked. To make amends, however, we arepresented with a rock under the denomination of roche cornéenne, a name which is perfectly inadmiffible on the principles of nomenclature laid down by M. Haüy, as it is founded on a vague analogy. We are informed that trap is a variety of this cornéenne; and afterwards we find bafalt confidered as a lava. The old, French mineralogifts pretended to have difcovered fome unin telligible difference between trap and bafalt; but though this is roundly affumed in M. Haüy's treatife, we are provided with no means of diftinguishing the bafaltic lava from the cornéenne dure, or trap, unless it be the prifmatic form; on which, it is well known, no dependence can be placed. After the affumption of bafalt as lava, we need not be furprifed to find obfidian pearlftone, and various other fubftances, forcibly affociated in the fame clafs. This, however, will not be conceded without a contest, which M. Haüy feems wholly unprovided with arguments to maintain. Subftances of fo dubious a nature ought to have been examined with peculiar care, to detect, if poffible, fome latent character which might lead to the determination of their origin. We find them, to our mortification, hurried over with extreme negligence, D 4 negligence, without even a notice of their moft obvious characters. It would feem, that the magic word lava is confidered as containing the effence of all defcription. Though fwelled by feveral minerals of at leaft dubious origin, the catalogue of volcanic fubftances is very imperfect. It is followed by a notice of the minerals which it is affirmed are formed in lava fubsequent to its cooling. This catalogue is alfo imperfect in extent; and the very principle on which it is founded is objectionable, as feveral of these substances are discovered in the more recent lavas immediately after their eruption. It appears unneceffary to extend thefe obfervations any farther. We conceive, the inftances we have adduced will warrant us in afferting, that this portion of M. Haüy's valuable work falls far below the general tenor of its excellence. The divifions of rocks are arbitrary and indiftinct; the defcriptions are imperfect; and the theoretic affumptions very frequently unwarranted. The candour of M. Haûy, however, we are perfuaded, will prevent him from being mortified by our obfervations; for in this part of his fubject he does not pretend to excel. His dexterity in mechanical divifion can here no longer avail him; and he is even precluded from drawing benefit from his mathematical fcience. He has generally rifked his well-earned reputation, to render his treatise more complete; and we feel grateful for his efforts, even while we criticife what appears to us their erroneous direction. At the fame time that we have endeavoured to expofe his apparent errors and inconfiftencies, we gladly exprefs our admiration of his various merits, of the genius which has infpired his performance, and the indefatigable exertions which have realized his fcientific views. His ftyle is invariably elegant and perfpicuous, his arrangement luminous, and his illuftrations ample. The candour and philofophic moderation which is maintained through the whole work, reflect an additional luftre on the talents and induftry of the author. We cannot clofe the article, without beftowing just praife on the fubordinate embellishments. The work is extremely well printed, and the volume of plates is executed in a very superior manner. ART. IV. The Works of Richard Owen Cambridge, Efq. including feveral Pieces never before published: With an Account of his Life and Charader. By his Son, George Owen Cambridge, M. A. Prebendary of Ely. London: T. Cadell & W. Davies, and T. Payne. 4to. 1803. THIS HIS is one of the many luxuries and fuperfluities of modern literature; a book which we are glad to have, but could have done very well without; containing nothing very new, or ftriking, or important; but innocent upon the whole, and refpectable, and affording a very laudable recreation for those whofe curiofity is rather the defire of amufement, than of knowledge. Mr Cambridge feems to have been one of thofe perfons, of whom poverty would have made a very popular author; but, being unfortunately born to a confiderable fortune, and having gained admiffion to a very large and diftinguished circle of fociety, he found that he could pafs his time more agreeably than in preparing volumes for the prefs; and lived a long time in perfect health and tranquillity, without exercifing his genius in any thing of greater magnitude than a few periodical papers, and fome occafional little poems and differtations. He was one of those characters, in fhort, that feem deftined rather to delight their contemporaries, than to attract the admiration of posterity. With the happieft temper, and the most amiable manners, Mr Cambridge appears to have united the refined wit and acccomplishments of a gentleman, to the learning and information of a fcholar, and to have been contented with the pleasure and the reputation that he derived from the colloquial difplay of his various talents and information. His biographer, indeed, has informed us, that he was remarkably exempt from those paffions which ufually incline men to exchange domeftic enjoyments for the toil of public bufinefs; that his love of fame was limited to a defire of being refpected and beloved by thofe in whose fociety he wifhed to live; and that his natural difpofition and talents were peculiarly adapted to the cultivation of polite literature, and the charms of familiar converfation. ' Such men, though extremely refpectable and praifeworthy, and though their multiplication may, indeed, be confidered as the best indication of a refined and enlightened state of fociety, generally receive their whole portion of fame in their life, and but feldom obtain any reverfion of posthumous celebrity. Few are so fortunate as to have their scattered pieces collected into a handsome quarto, and to have their lives and characters transmitted to pofterity by a biograher who joins perfect candour and information to the amiable partiality of affection. The incidents of Mr Cambridge's life are, as might have been expected, neither numerous nor extraordinary; and they are not commemorated as fuch by his biographer. The only thing that provoked a fmile in the whole narrative, was to find it carefully recorded, that when every neceflary arrangement was made for Mr Cambridge fetting out on his travels, he was ftopped by the bard froft of the year 1739, and his plan was never refumed. As to the rest of his hiftory, it is very short and barren of inci dent. dent. He was educated at Eton, where he acted plays in Latin and English; and at Oxford, which he left without a degree. He entered the Society of Lincolns Inn, but was never called to the Bar. After his marriage, he refided in Gloucestershire, where he wrote the Scribleriad, built boats upon the Severn, and adorned his eftate with plantations. He afterwards removed to Twickenham, where he continued to refide, till death put a period to a life that extended through no less than eighty-fix years of innocence and enjoyment. He rode a great deal on horfeback, drank water, and was remarkable for uninterrupted and equal cheerfulness, great urbanity of manners, and the utmoft tenderness and indulgence to his family. He lived in great intimacy with all the literary characters of the age, and feems to have been univerfally beloved and refpected as a delightful companion, and a man entitled to diftinction both for his talents and his virtues. The pieces contained in this volume, are chiefly republications of thofe compofitions which appeared in Mr Cambridge's own life. His principal performances were, the Scribleriad, which was published in 1751, and the hiftory of the war on the coast of Coromandel,' which appeared in 1761. The former of thefe works is reprinted in this compilation, of which it occupies about one half: the other is omitted. The reft of the volume is made up of little poetical pieces, chiefly playful and fatirical, and of about twenty papers published in the World,' and fully as remarkable for politenefs and vivacity, as any that appeared in that popular publication. It would be abfurd in us to enter into any criticism upon works which have been published for more than half a century. The Scribleriad was read, at one time, by all the polite fcholars in the country, but never found its way to popularity, and is now almost entirely forgotten. It is a continuation of the adventures of Scriblerus, in the form of a mock heroic poem, and is written throughout with great learning, elegance, and judgement. The fubject, however, is by no means interefting; and the compofition has a certain uniform mediocrity of merit, that is ufually found to fink fafter in the stream of time, than fubftances of a more unequal contexture. The hiftory of the Coromandel war' is fimply and clearly written, though the fubfequent publication of Mr Dowe's work has, in a great degree, fuperfeded the use of it. There is a pleafing anecdote with refpect to this publication, in a note to the account of Mr Cambridge's life. M. Lally Tolendal, the fon of M. Lally who commanded the French force in India in the war of 1756, happening to meet my father at a friend's houfe, eagerly inquired if he was the author of a work |